By Inyali Peter
Out of respect for a friend, I’ve stayed aloof on the many terrible and troubling news coming out from the University of Calabar for some time now. However, I’m breaking my silence because the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, has continued her antics of always dodging responsibility for her administration’s failures and instead blames her predecessor, Prof. Zana Akpagu for everything.
For many of us, the current administration’s failures didn’t come as a surprise to us. We knew that her administration would be characterized by controversies and crisis. But I sympathize with the students and those who only seeing what some of us have warned about since this leadership took over. I see so many of her fans now calling her out. Maybe, this could also be that the latest controversy has affected them directly or indirectly.
When the current Vice Chancellor assumed office, she blamed her predecessor for issues, just as she’s doing now with certain departments. She seems to believe she inherited only assets, not liabilities. Programmes that her administration mismanaged, causing students to drop out or switch courses, were already in the process of gaining full accreditation under Prof. Akpagu. Instead of building on his work, she halted progress and when the situation became messy, rather than find a solution, she was busy shouting Zana!
Nearly five years after Prof. Akpagu left office, she still blames him for her administration’s incompetence. In the Dentistry students crisis, she’s pointed fingers at everyone but herself, despite having the final say. Whenever her leadership creates avoidable problems, she deflects by blaming her predecessor. Is Prof. Akpagu still the VC? Under his administration, this could not have happened.
Sending nearly 300 students home for something that could have been sorted is a shame. Would the university refund the school fees these students have paid? Would they be paid damages for their time and energy expended? Why is it so easy for this VC to let people go for every administrative mishap? Did these students admit themselves?
This is the same VC that blocked genuinely employed staff from working while conducting her own recruitment, yet she blames Prof. Akpagu. Her policies are pushing students out of school, yet it’s still Prof. Akpagu’s fault. Ironically, she served as Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics for two years under Prof. Akpagu’s tenure. Her appointment was not renewed because she was only not just bringing results, but was writing petitions against his selection.
The number of litigation this administration has exposed the university to, I pity the next VC! I don’t envy who’ll takeover from her at all.
Madam VC should focus on her job and stop targeting Prof. Akpagu. That Cross Riverians celebrate him more, nearly five years after leaving office tells what the public think about both of them. Therefore , no amount of blackmail or vendetta will change the fact that, as both Commissioners and Vice Chancellors, Prof. Akpagu is widely regarded as the better leader.
Let her fix her mess and leave Prof. Akpagu alone. Zana this, Zana that. Wetin? Enough is enough.
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