Name a university after me, a school, a scientific institute or even a science foundation; but leave my name off the towns and streets of our country, President Nursultan Nazarbayev told Kazakh scientists on Friday.
The 69-year-old has run the Central Asian state for 20 years and enjoys sweeping powers. His critics accuse him of usurping power in the oil-producing former Soviet nation and trying to stifle dissent, charges he denies.
Unlike some colleagues in the region, however, Nazarbayev has so far declined to have cities and streets named after him -- a popular practice for leaders of the Soviet era.
On Friday, Nazarbayev said he had changed his mind with regards to educational and scientific institutions.
"Here I allow this, let there be a Nazarbayev international university, a Nazarbayev school, a Nazarbayev science centre, a Nazarbayev science foundation," he told a meeting of the state science development council.
Prime Minister Karim Masimov, also present at the meeting, said such institutions would require a special approach.
"That university, school or foundation must be of the highest level," he said.
In nearby Turkmenistan, late autocratic leader Saparmurat Niyazov distinguished himself by renaming cities, industrial objects and even months of the year after himself and his family.
Reuters
