By Mike Adoga
After many calls and fact-gathering, although I may be wrong, my opinion is that there is no such plan to relocate the campus. For what exactly? You want to abandon the beautiful, conducive structure and large hectares of land just like that? In case you don’t know, Okuku campus is the largest of all University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) Campuses in terms of landmark, not even the Calabar campus can argue this – so why should the campus be relocated?
However, the recent allegation/rumour is coming because the University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa (UEEA), is attempting to deviate from its scope/mandate. The Cross River State government created UEEA as a university of education. Why are they delving into allied medical science courses? What’s the relation?
To be explicit, recently, the UEEA, a university of education, applied and received approval to admit students to allied medical sciences. Meanwhile, we already have a Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences at UNICROSS Okuku campus, to be specific, that has been yearning for an upgrade/scaleup. At what points do UEEA, created just a few months ago, become more conducive and appropriate for Allied Medical programmes than UNICROSS-Okuku, of over 10 years in existence and a medical faculty too? This is where the suspicion and rumour of abandoning or relocating the Okuku campus is coming from.
If the facility of Allied Medical Sciences is situated in UEEA, it will undermine/threaten UNICROSS-Okuku’s existence, stretching staff and even the government. Where would UEEA get lecturers from to lecture Allied Medical courses? They would simply begin to stretch lecturers from UNICAL and UNICROSS. Meanwhile, UNICROSS already have these lecturers, why not maintain and expand the UNICROSS Okuku campus to be a standard and balanced state medical school by approving all relevant medical courses. No basis or logic in approving a medical program for a University of Education – this is a deviation from standards and scope.
Although I believe UNICROSS-Okuku campus will not be relocated, the state government’s silence about UEEA advertising for admission into Allied Medical Science courses is suspicious and calls for worry.
While I commend the Yala people for voicing their suspicion, I will also advise that we make proper research, ask the right questions and be properly guided so we don’t ruin the laudable plans in place for Okuku-campus. In the course of my asking questions, I have discovered that a lot of people are doing so much for the growth of the Okuku campus. The current rumour may be a spoiler, so we must act with wisdom.
The government should step in and invest in the Okuku campus. Apart from a rich history, Okuku campus has everything to succeed: the landmark, the location, years of existence, Alumni, etc. The school should be strengthened. The existing staff should be supported and encouraged.