Education

About 80 Professors cut across various academic fields have signified interest to replace Prof. Angela Freeman Miri as Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja.

Miri still has about four months to the end of her tenure in February 2021. But her successor is expected to have been announced by early December.

This was disclosed to newsmen by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Chris Adighije in his office. He noted that the process of filling the office has commenced in earnest, with a functioning selection committee.

Adighije, assured of absolute transparency in the selection process assuring that the council will only settle for the best among the applicants as it aims to put the University in a position to compete favourably and catch up with older and well established ones.

“Of course, you know that the tenure of the present Vice Chancellor will expire on 21st February 2021. By law and convention we are in the process of selecting a successor and in doing that we are insisting on due process.

“It is taking a lot of our attention and the applications closed on 16th October. Shortly after that, proper compilation of applications which include; LGA, age, qualification and other such requirements would be done according to the advert that was put out.

“The management team has compiled that as supervised by a member of the Council.

On the number of applicants, he said, “We have about 80 applications and we will soon be in the process of short listing. A date has been fixed for that and a five-man Committee is saddled with that responsibility.

“There is a selection board that would be made up of two external members of the Council, two members of the Senate who are not members of the Council while the committee would be chaired by the Chairman of Council. There will be five members of the selection board.

“The plan and proposal the Council has accepted is to ensure that the new VC would emerge by 4th December, this year. This will create room for transition because the current VC will be leaving by the middle of February, 2021.

“This is a federal University and we have received applications from a cross section of Nigerians who want to occupy the exalted office.

The Chairman, however explained that the Council had earlier employed the Chief Librarian and Bursar for the University. He said the appointments followed due process and federal character.

Adighije commended the outgoing VC, for her efforts at positioning the institution as a respected citadel of learning and research. He applauded her on the number of courses and faculties which place the University ways ahead of it’s peers.