Prof Florence Obi has emerged UNICAL’s first female Vice-Chancellor. She becomes the 11th Vice Chancellor of the university.
Prior to her new role, Obi was a lecturer in the Faculty of Education and a one-time Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Calabar.
Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Chairman of the University’s Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor disclosed the new appointment to newsmen today, 11th September.
Senator Nwaogu said that 12 eminently qualified candidates were fielded for the position but Professor Florence Obi emerged winner.
According to the Pro-Chancellor, the Governing Council followed the statutory guidelines for the screening of all candidates as provided by the Ministry of Education. She added that the exercise was transparent, free and fair to all.
Senator Nwaogu also said that Obi’s persistence may have worked in her favour as she contested for the same position in 2015 and lost.
Nwaogu advised the new Vice Chancellor to build on the things started by the out-going Vice Chancellor on assumption of office.
On her part, Prof Obi thanked God for her victory and promised to run an all-inclusive administration. She received her letter of appointment today and is expected to assume office on the 1st of December.
She forayed into lecturing as an Assistant Lecturer at the Institute of Education, University of Calabar in 1990.
Two years later, in 1992, she won a 6-month post-graduate scholarship to Jordan-Hill College of Education, Glasgow, Scotland under the World University Service (WUS), Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in a keenly contested interview for staff of the Institute of Education.
On graduation, she returned to head the WWF/NCF funded schools and Community Education programs. To her credit is the establishment of the degree program in Environmental Education of the university.
Obi’s efforts resulted in the establishment of a fully functional Department of Environmental Education. Her tenacity resulted in her befog a Professor of Special Needs in 2007.
Professor Florence Banku Obi hails from Banson-Osokom, Boki LGA of Cross River State. She has four children and a grandmother of six.