by In the past few weeks, the University of Calabar has been in the news in Nigeria and beyond. Majorly, the news was centered on very nauseating allegations of gross misconduct, impropriety, abuse of office, sexual exploitation and abuse, administrative high handedness amongst other issues against a law teacher and suspended Dean of Unical Faculty of Law.
While a few seems to be irked by the follow up action of the University’s management by suspending the Dean to douse tension and immediately constituting a panel made up of relevant stake holders to prove the allegations, many others has applauded management for the positive steps taken so far on the matter. In a view to distract attention and mislead the general public, a counter report aimed at promoting public hate was released to various media domains and copied up to the presidency.
The issues raised in the report are already in print for all to read. The big question is why is this coming now? Is it to weaken the ongoing panel set up by the University? Why did the writer fail to highlight the giant strides recorded by Prof. Florence Obi in less than three years as Unical VC? Now for those that care, just read on. Before the advent of Prof. Obi as VC, there existed a frightening number of ghost workers in the University payroll. Why was this allowed to happen? Who were the people enjoying this loot and why did haters of Prof. Obi not reported this?
Three lecture pavilions that were originally awarded to be high rise buildings were actually built as flats. Under Professor Florence Obi’s watch, these Pavilions were reconstructed to the original agreement status. Where was the haters of Professor Florence Obi and why was this not reported?
On assumption of office, the Prof Florence Obi’s administration renovated all the hostels and ensured the building of new ones for females. This has never been done for over a decade, can her haters deny this?
What about the VC’s resolve to rid off academic fraud aimed at producing viable graduates into the larger society? Many criminally minded elements within the system have already waged a cold war on this. Notwithstanding several unapproved monies were recovered from staff and same were returned to students who have suffered this financial exploitation. What has her haters said about this?
Before now, virtually every evil was orchestrated and accepted in Unical as a norm, ranging from certificate and admission racketeering, “reworking of results”, sex for grades and all forms of extortion were almost becoming a culture in the institution.
Despite, the Vice Chancellor’s dogged stance against these vices, criminally minded staff within the University system are still bend on surreptiously and mischievously taking the University aback. Will her haters feign ignorance about this? Have they bothered to tell the world about this area of academic purgation by Prof Florence Obi?
A peep into Prof Florence Obi’s life and that of her children portray a family worthy of emulation. They are resilient, bold, dare all odds and have achieved adequate education that has kept all standing on their own feet. No one, depend on the other to put food on his table. It is rather unfortunate that in this part of the world, a life in the public service gives anyone the impetus to spy into one’s family life and privacy and say anything he or she likes.
Haters of the present Unical leadership never believe in the first instance, of her likely emergence as VC. Some of those who failed in the last VC’s contest are still angry and disgruntled. They have employed all forms to blackmail and discredit her administration. Little did they know that their actions are creating greater awareness on the geometric giant strides of her administration.
For the male chauvinists, allow the first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar to completely imprint the template for positive University governance which for me, is a divine project to redeem Unical from the caterpillars and cankerworms of yesteryears! All right thinking members of the University community including the alumnus are enjoined to rally round the most students friendly Vice Chancellor and restore the standard of the University education in line with the vision of Unical and global best practices.
Austine Bisong — Alumnus of the University of Calabar.
