UNICAL’s 1st Female VC, Prof Florence Obi Assumes Duties, Pledges Inclusive Administration

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BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The new Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Professor Florence Banku Obi has effectively resumed duties, pledging to build a more inclusive academic institution that will contribute positively to Nigeria’s developmental strides.

Speaking at her investiture as the 11th Vice Chancellor of the 45 years old University, Prof Obi said that UNICAL is set for a new lease of life as one of the foremost public university in the country.

She stated that the very essence of establishing a tertiary educational institution should extend to areas beyond just the need for human capacity development.

According to her, the strongest and surest foundation therefore is to enunciate unique training programmes, carefully designed to impact positively on the development needs and advancement of any nation in various sectors of human endeavours.

In rolling out her plans for the institution, the Professor of Special Needs Education, said the UNICAL community, both academic and non-academic staff, must be committed and ready to work extra hard as her vision of leadership is to reposition the University in line with global best practices.

Professor Obi said the new administration would focus on learning and research initiatives with adequate measures put in place for optimum service delivery through improved capacity building programmes.

The new Vice Chancellor assured that the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on social relations as well as educational engagement would be placed on the front burner of special attention during her tenure.

In her investiture speech, Professor Obi also promised that all prescribed protocols by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), would effectively be in place with a soon to be inaugurated Standing Committee and Task Force to liaise with relevant health regulatory organs.

The Unical boss said the plans are meant to enforce necessary precautionary measures across the campus, including lecture halls, hotels, library, laboratories and administrative blocks.

She also vowed to restore a true spirit of a university system in UNICAL where community scholars from diverse backgrounds would commute to enhance learning while also mitigating and eschewing primordial sentiments in the pursuit of knowledge and effective human capital development.

Forefront interaction with some lecturers in the university indicated that her appointment of Prof Obi’s appointment as UNICAL Vice Chancellor marks a new beginning and fresh challenge of responsible leadership, especially being the first woman to occupy the prestigious seat.

An associate professor of Environmental Science in the University, Dr. Raphael Offiong, who captured the thoughts and mood of most teaching staff, when he expressed hope that her appointment would mark a new phase in the scheme of things.

Prof Obi takes over the mantle of leadership as the new UNICAL Vce Chancellor from Professor Zana Akpagu whose tenure expired on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

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