The University of Calabar, UNICAL, has announced the appointment of Prof. Florence Banku Obi as its 11th Vice-Chancellor and first female to occupy the position after 45 years since it’s inception.
While announcing the appointment on Friday September 11, 2020, in Calabar, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Unical Governing Council, Sen. Nkechi Nwaogu, said the process of the selection was transparent.
Nwaogu said that the Council assured the 13 contestants for the position of a transparent, fair and just selection process.
She explained that they used the guidelines set up by the Federal Ministry of Education on the conduct of interview for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.
“At the end of the day, we had a brand new first female VC of the University in the last 45 years.
“The interview was transparent and some of the contestants are part of our council.
What I expect of her is to look at what the outgoing VC has done because governance is a continues process. She should invite all those who contested with her and build teamwork.
“No one person can execute the programmes without the integration of other erudite administrators that presented their CVs yesterday,” she said.
“She should be an integrative agent and I expect her to look inward on the areas of internally generated revenue and pluck the areas.
“She needs to motivate staff and students of the school and as an erudite Professor and a mother, I know that she will bring all these to bear,” she added.
She congratulated Prof. Banku-Obi and wished her the best in her tenure.
On her part, Prof. Banku-Obi, said she was elated and happy, adding that she returned all the glory to God.
“I am very happy today, I just received my appointment letter from the 12th Council as the 11th VC elect effective from Dec. 1, 2020.
“It was a free and fair contest and I am happy about it. The University of Calabar should expect an inclusive administration from me,” she said.
Prof. Banku-Obi will be taking over from Prof. Zana Akpagu whose tenure end on Nov. 30, 2020.
Prof. Banku-Obi us an indigene of Boki local government area in Cross River and she has been a lecturer in the department of Education.
She has also served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and also as a member of the University Governing Council.
She has over 60 publications to her credit in both local and international journals.
