45 years after, UNICAL gets first female VC

Forty-five years after its establishment, the University of Calabar (UNICAL) has produced its first female Vice-Chancellor, Professor Florence Obi of the Faculty of Education.

Obi is to succeed Professor Zana Akpagu, whose tenure would elapse on November 30.

The choice of Obi was announced, yesterday, by the 12th Governing Council of the university as the 11th Vice Chancellor-elect at the UNICAL Hotel in Calabar after emerging winner out of 13 contestants.

Obi, who spoke to newsmen shortly after receiving her letter of employment, said the contest was free and fair and promised to run an inclusive administration.     

The incoming VC, who served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), said: “I am happy that I have just been given my employment letter from the 12the Council as the Vice Chancellor-elect and the 11th substantive Vice-Chancellor effective from December 1, this year.”

Speaking after the selection process, Chairman of the Council and Pro-Chancellor, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, affirmed that the exercise was transparent, free, and fair, adding that Obi’s emergence was a victory for the women.
 
“We assured the university community we were going to be transparent, open, fair, and just. There is a guideline from the Federal Ministry of Education on how to conduct an interview for the appointment and there are so many parameters we had to look into and that is exactly what we did.”

She urged Obi to build on the foundation laid by the outgoing vice-chancellor, noting that governance should be a continuous process.