UNICAL Clinical Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Alleged Discrimination in VC Appointment Process

UNICAL Clinical Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Alleged Discrimination in VC Appointment Process

Clinical lecturers at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have embarked on an indefinite strike to protest what they describe as their deliberate exclusion from the selection process for the university’s next Vice Chancellor.

The lecturers, under the umbrella of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), University of Calabar Teaching Hospital chapter, made their decision known in a letter dated June 13, 2025. The letter, addressed to the current Vice Chancellor, followed weeks of agitation over an advertorial published in a national daily on May 27, which they claim effectively disqualifies clinical lecturers from applying for the top post.

According to the letter signed by MDCAN Chairman, Dr. Patience Odusolu, and Secretary, Dr. Ehiosun Aigbomian, several memos had been sent to the University’s Governing Council on June 2 and June 9. The memos demanded the withdrawal of the controversial advert and the issuance of a revised one that would include all qualified candidates. However, the Governing Council allegedly 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 group announced a complete and indefinite withdrawal of their academic services. They are demanding that the university retract the original advert, publish a more inclusive one and extend the application deadline. They also want the ongoing selection process suspended until their concerns are addressed.

The protest letter has been sent to top stakeholders in the education sector, including the Minister of Education, the National Assembly’s Committees on Education, the Pro-Chancellor, the University Registrar, the Nigerian Medical Association and the national leadership of MDCAN.

Meanwhile, at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), a similar controversy is brewing. MDCAN there submitted a petition over an advert dated May 29 that mandates a PhD qualification for applicants, a requirement the association views as discriminatory.

Their letter, signed by Dr. Ibiok Usendiah and Dr. Solomon Bassey, condemned the criteria, describing them as exclusionary and impractical. The union gave the UNIUYO Governing Council a two-week ultimatum, ending July 1, to revise the advert or face the resumption of suspended strike action.

MDCAN insists that postgraduate fellowships obtained after 6 to 7 years of specialized training should be recognized as equivalent academic qualifications. These fellowships, they argue, are endorsed by both the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Federal Ministry of Education.

The group also criticized criteria in the advert such as requiring at least ten journal publications in two years and 20 years of uninterrupted teaching. They argue these standards are unrealistic and punitive, especially for academics who have taken sabbaticals or study leaves.

UNIUYO is also facing additional complications following the refusal of the originally appointed Pro-Chancellor, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd.), to lead the selection process. Professor Hauwa Biu is said to have taken over as Acting Chair of the Governing Council and released the contested advert.

MDCAN has threatened to resume strike if the advert is not withdrawn and amended to recognize both Fellowship and PhD holders. They also cited similar controversies at Nnamdi Azikiwe University which required presidential intervention, contrasting it with best practices at Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Benin, where inclusive selection processes have been upheld.

“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.

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“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.

The strike action and broader agitation reflect growing tensions across universities regarding fairness in top-level academic appointments.