UNICAL Clinical Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Discriminatory VC Selection Criteria

Clinical lecturers at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), operating under the umbrella of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), have commenced an indefinite strike. The industrial action stems from what they describe as their deliberate exclusion from the ongoing selection process for the institution’s next Vice-Chancellor.

The lecturers are protesting the University Governing Council’s refusal to amend a recent job advertisement that they claim discriminates against clinical faculty. A memo, issued by the MDCAN Chairman, Dr. Patience Odusolu, and Secretary, Dr. Ehiosun Aigbomian, notified the university of the withdrawal of their services.

According to the MDCAN, a vacancy notice published in a national newspaper stipulated that candidates for the Vice-Chancellor position “must hold a PhD.” The association contends that this clause effectively disqualifies many of its members who hold the Medical Fellowship qualification, which they describe as a globally recognized terminal degree for clinical academic staff. They argue that this requirement violates guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, which recommend inclusive criteria for Vice-Chancellor recruitment across federal universities.

The MDCAN had previously engaged the University’s Governing Council, including the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi (who is the current VC and not the subject of the new appointment dispute, rather the process for her successor), and the Pro-Chancellor, with memos demanding a retraction of the exclusionary advert and the issuance of an inclusive notice. However, they stated that the Council failed to respond to their concerns.

The lecturers also noted that the advert was published for a six-week period, and three weeks had already passed without amendment, effectively disenfranchising qualified candidates. Their demands include:

• Immediate withdrawal of the current discriminatory advert.
• Publication of a new, inclusive advert that recognizes both PhD and Fellowship qualifications.
• Extension of the application deadline to accommodate all interested and qualified candidates.
• Immediate suspension of the ongoing selection process until the revised advert is published.

The strike is expected to significantly disrupt academic activities within the College of Medical Sciences and health services at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where many clinical lecturers serve dual roles as medical educators and consultants.

Similar tensions are also reportedly mounting at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) where medical consultants and clinical lecturers under MDCAN have also protested a similar advert insisting on a PhD, warning of potential industrial action if the discriminatory criteria are not reversed. This indicates a broader issue facing clinical lecturers in Nigerian universities regarding their qualifications for top leadership positions.