UNICAL clinical lecturers down tools over VC selection

Clinical lecturers at the University of Calabar have commenced indefinite withdrawal of their services over what they describe as deliberate exclusion from the ongoing selection process for the institution’s next Vice Chancellor.

The decision conveyed in a letter dated 13th June 2025 and addressed to the Vice Chancellor was issued under the auspices of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), University of Calabar Teaching Hospital chapter.

The group said its members have been unjustly disenfranchised following the publication of an advertorial in a national newspaper on May 27, 2025, which it claims effectively bars clinical lecturers from applying for the top job.

According to the letter, signed by MDCAN Chairman Dr. Patience Odusolu and Secretary Dr. Ehiosun Aigbomian, the group had earlier submitted memos to the University’s Governing Council on June 2 and June 9, demanding a retraction of the advertorial and the issuance of an inclusive notice. However, they said the Council failed to respond.

“The continued silence and inaction by the Governing Council is a breach of our fundamental rights to aspire for the position of Vice Chancellor,” the lecturers stated, adding that three weeks had already passed since the advert was released, effectively reducing the application window and denying them equal opportunity.

In protest, the clinical lecturers declared that total and indefinite withdrawal of their academic services has commenced, pending the withdrawal of the original advert, publication of a new inclusive one, and extension of the application deadline to accommodate all qualified candidates.

They also demanded the immediate suspension of the ongoing selection process.

The protest letter has been copied to key education authorities including the Minister of Education, the National Assembly’s Education Committees, the Pro-Chancellor, the Registrar of the University, and professional medical bodies such as the Nigerian Medical Association and MDCAN national leadership.

At the University of Uyo, the MDCAN has issued a strongly worded petition to the Governing Council, protesting a similar advert published on May 29, which also mandates a PhD for applicants.

In their letter, signed by Dr. Ibiok Usendiah (Chairman) and Dr. Solomon Bassey (Secretary), the association condemned the criteria as deliberately exclusionary and impractical.

The union gave the Governing Council a two-week ultimatum ending July 1, 2025, to act or face the resumption of its suspended industrial action.

They aggrieved clinical lecturers noted that postgraduate medical fellowships, achieved after an additional 6 to 7 years of specialized training serve as the standard academic qualification for clinical lecturers and are endorsed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Federal Ministry of Education.

The group also criticised requirements in the advert for at least ten journal publications in the past two years and 20 years of uninterrupted teaching, which they described as impractical and “punitive, especially for academics who have taken sabbaticals, study leave, or secondments.

Complicating matters at UNIUYO is a recent leadership vacuum. MDCAN revealed that the Pro-Chancellor initially appointed to lead the process, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd.), declined the role.

In his absence, Prof. Hauwa Biu reportedly served as Acting Chairperson of the Governing Council and oversaw the release of the now-disputed advert.

The MDCAN chapter warned that if the advert is not withdrawn and revised to accommodate both PhD and Fellowship holders, they may be forced to resume their previously suspended strike.

The union noticed a seemingly possible national pattern of disenfranchisement, citing similar incidents at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where an exclusionary selection process reportedly triggered unrest and required presidential intervention.

They, however, also pointed to federal institutions like Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Benin as examples of best practice, where inclusive VC selection criteria have been adopted.

“Agitations against discrimination of Medical Doctors in the conventional universities has led to the recent creation of Universities of Health Sciences in the country with Medical Doctors as Vice Chancellors while Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) has been created to cater for the needs of Medical Doctors still teaching in conventional universities as ASUU appeared not to be protecting our interests.

“Agitations for the carving out of Colleges of Health Sciences from conventional universities to form autonomous Universities of Health Sciences with their own Vice Chancellors may begin to gather steam in view of all these discriminatory policies by the Governing Councils against Medical Doctors.

“We wish to use this medium and appeal to you to use your good offices and address these discriminatory policies that were churned out by the Governing Council before your appointment so as to accommodate all sectors of the academia within the next two weeks before expiration of the six weeks advertisement period.

“Our Association will convene on the 1st of July 2025 to review developments and

take appropriate actions.

“We cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the University if these discriminatory policies are not reversed bearing in mind that our strike action that was suspended by the Nigerian Medical Association to allow the University Management to address some pressing issues is still active,” the letter reads in part.

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