UNICAL VC designate, Professor Offiong Effanga Offiong.
By Anietie Akpan
Southern Cross River Academics, University Of Calabar (SOCRA-UCB) have charged the incoming Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University ((UNICAL), Professor Offiong Effanga Offiong to correct the alleged imbalance in areas of employment and others in UNICAL.
The socio-political group with Professor James Ekpenyong Okon as its Chairman, said for 15 years they have remained as underdogs and the time has come for this to change.
The group said this recently when they paid a curtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor designate in his residence in Calabar saying , “since 2010 to 2015, 2015 to 2020 and 2020 to 2025, the 9th, 10th and 11th Vice-Chancellors of the University of Calabar being from Senatorial Districts outside the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State have consistently, albeit in enlightened self-interest, promoted the vested interests of their own in terms of admissions, employments and the headship of general administrative parastatals in the University such as University divisions, departments, directorates, centres and units.
“Having blessed their own favourably, handsomely and humongously, the unmistakable niche of favour carved for the beneficiaries in the key areas of admissions,employments and headships tended to make such beneficiaries prominent,empowered, advantaged and intimidating in the ecosystem of the University of Calabar.
“Needless to say that such blessings and favours bestowed on the said beneficiaries made them bestride the Unical topography like Colossus in the last 15 years whilst on the other hand, an underdog, inconsequential, deprived and subjugated status has been foisted on the general nembership of SOCRA-UCB and our non-teaching brethren deliberately”.
To put it tersely, the group of egg heads said, “we in SOCRA-UCB as lecturers, and indeed with respect to our non-teaching brethren, have been underestimated, disfavoured, and sometimes intentionally underutilised.
“In one tellingly unfortunate instance, a few staff of Unical Microfinance Bank (now prominently dominated by Boki clan in terms of staffing) who were of Southern Cross River origin were sacked for no just cause. This case and indeed a few more may warrant investigation and the restoration of such staff”.
They charge the new VC to “create opportunities for SOCRAITES and Southern Cross River State People, Staff And Students in Unical. Given the 15 years of deprivation, marginalisation, and the sidelining of SOCRA-UCB members and Southern Senatorial District people in the affairs of the University of Calabar, we wish to strongly solicit your good offices, Sir, in asking for a big emphasis on:
“Admissions for students, Employment opportunities provision, Placement of SOCRA-UCB members in the administrative parastatals of Unical, that is the Divisions, Departments, Centres, Units, etc. in the University”.
The SOCRA-UCB members pledged to be “Your think-tank; to give you ideas, information, state of affairs, and so on with all humility and devoid of bias.
“Propagators of activities of the Vice Chancellor in good light and therefore promote positive publicity about your esteemed office.
“Defend you and your office in a sensible manner as much as possible, in word and action. Conduct ourselves well as ambassadors of the VC”.
They however, earnestly appealed to the new VC to keep his doors, house, office, and time open to his SOCRA-UCB brethren.
