Celebrating the UNICAL’s graceful convocation and 50th anniversary
By George Odok
The 37th convocation/50th anniversary of the University of Calabar has come and gone, but the memory of the beautiful and well organized event will remain vivid in the annals of history of the institution and in the minds of the public.
The 37th convocation ceremony of the institution coincided with the 50 years anniversary of the institution.
UNICAL was established in 1975, with Prof. Emmanuel Ayandele as its first VC. From 1975 to November 2020, the university was run by very distinguished male professors until December 1st 2020 when Grace shined upon Prof. Florence Banku Obi, who was elected as the 11th substantive and first female VC of the institution.
As a woman of grace, it is in her tenure that the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the institution fell on.
The convocation witnessed the assemblage of top politicians and govt functionaries, including first class kings, oil and gas captains, professionals and technocrats from across the world among others.
It takes strength, courage, determination and goodwill to pull out the personalities that graced the event.
Notably among them were the Senate President, HE Godswill Akpabio, an alumnus of UNICAL and his dear wife who bagged an Honorary Doctorate degree. The Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Onyeka Nwebonyi, Sen. Eteng Jonas Williams among many other members of the upper chambers.
Other Honorary awardees were; Rtd Maj. Gen. Moses Obi (Honorary Doctorate in Peace and Conflict Studies) and Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, (Honorary Doctorate in Law).
From the Green Chambers, the convocation hosted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who is also an alumnus of UNICAL. He flew into Calabar with over 30 of his colleagues and over 70 of his course mates (Unical class of 1998).
Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, Benjamin Kalu, lauded the VC for innovative drive in the institution.
Kalu, who performed the groundbreaking ceremony of N1.6bn convocation centre he facilitated to the university, commended the VC for giving the university a facelift and for always bringing all the alumni together.
He urged the contractor to speed up the work and ensure it’s built according to standard and specification and to also deliver the centre to the university in good time.
Also, the state Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, who was nominated for an awarded of Honorary Doctorate Degree in Political Science, was represented at the convocation by the Acting Governor of the State, HE Peter Odey, who led members of the state executive committee and lawmakers from the state house of assembly to the event.
The colourful event also hosted the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law. The Arise TV award winning Minister of the year stormed Calabar with his large entourage for the convocation.
Similarly, the Chancellor of the University of Calabar, HRH, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, was also present at the convocation, including the Pro-Chancellor, retired DIG Udom Ekpoudom. It was the crème de crème of Nigeria that attended the special convocation and 50th anniversary of the institution.
From the Judiciary, the presence of the very renowned Jury, Justice Okon Abang, was felt among other members of third estate of the realm.
No doubt, Prof. Obi and her management team deserves their crowning flowers. They have given UNICAL a positive outlook and an admirable facelift.
Within the long week of the events, the city of Calabar and the hospitality sector witnessed a major boom.
Infact, majority of the hotels were all filled up with guests, including restaurants, boutiques, bars, markets, and others, not forgetting bolt drivers who had major turn over during the convocation week.
One can simply say that the convocation traffic attracted billions of Naira into the city of Calabar.
Aside the convocation and 50th anniversary, the event also witnessed the inauguration of five projects in the institution by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu.
The President commended the Vice Chancellor for driving an aggressive infrastructural development in the citadel of learning.
The President commended her for her prudent management of funds, saying that the university has witnessed an unprecedented infrastructural development within her tenure.
He said that the VC has executed projects that have direct impact on the development of the institution.
Other projects executed by the VC during her tenure include; three pavilions, two hostels and the state of-the-arts building belonging to the Department of Mass Communication.
Netizens reacted to the VC’s exceptional leadership and performance online, Rev. Justice Ochang said: “The VC of Unical should be recommended to the national, for national engagement. She is a genius. University of Calabar is lucky having her.
Another Facebook user, Stephen Tobi, said: “She has done exceptionally well.. We are told that the reward of hard work is more work.
Having excelled in her role as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, she deserves higher responsibility like the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) or any other position of comparative standing!”
Anyachi Lawrence Ifeanyi wrote “She really deserve to be Minister of Education. She has changed Unical and she will replicate and even do more at the National Level.”
In all, the convocation ceremony was a huge success and the Golden Vice Chancellor and her management team deserves accolade for organizing such an event with a carnival atmosphere in the University of Calabar.
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