BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
As the count down for the selection of the next Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar draws near, the Senate and other stakeholders shall this weekend commence the process of choosing the best, tested, experienced, exposed and qualified candidate for the job.
Currently, over seven candidates have indicated interest for the position of the Vice Chancellor amongst them is a seasoned, tested, exposed, experienced and humble personality in the person Prof. Offiong Effanga Offiong, an insider in the community.
There is no gain-saying the fact that Prof. Offiong of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry is a “household” name in the entire University of Calabar community.
A man of humble beginning, Prof. Offiong E. Offiong, has acquired many academic qualifications to his credit, membership of learned societies /professional bodies, held several community/public service at the state and national levels. .
Offiong had attended over 24 conferences from March 1988 till November 7th, 2014. He had 24 post graduate thesis supervision/graduated students to his credit.
As concerned and committed as he is Prof. Offiong had contributed towards the development of the University of Calabar in the area of supervising/mentoring of junior colleagues in the Inorganic Unit of the department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, renovation and furnishing of the departmental seminar room in 2015, donation of books in chemistry, biochemistry and in other related disciplines and had facilitated the donation of books from Books Aid for Africa, USA, to the staff school Unical and the University of Calabar international secondary schools among others.
Offiong today as a thorough bred professor, has over 60 publications in learned journals both international and local to his credit. These includes, Offiong, E. O and Martelli S(1992), Offiong, E
O, Akinchan, NT and Ibok U. J. (1993)and Offiong E. O. (1998)
Amongst the other candidates, Prof. Offiong Effanga Offiong, has advantage as a “home boy” who knows the university and has what it takes to run a university system of administration as an insider.
He has often been described by his colleagues and staff “as a workaholic professor, full of life and easy going”.
Offiong during the period under review, has never been found wanting and so is ready to pilot the affairs of Unical and come out much more better with clean records.
As a seasoned administrator and unionist , he is ready and committed to continue the good work
