Clinical lecturers at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have commenced an indefinite strike over what they describe as systemic exclusion from the ongoing process to appoint a new Vice Chancellor (VC).
Under the aegis of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), the lecturers, who also serve as consultants at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), are protesting a recent VC vacancy advertisement that mandates a Ph.D qualification, thereby excluding professionals with the Fellowship of Postgraduate Medical Colleges, a globally recognized terminal degree for clinical academics.
According to MDCAN, the controversial advertisement, published in a national daily (not Daily Trust) on May 27, 2025, “discriminates against clinical lecturers.”
The association argues that many of its members, while not holding PhDs, possess the Medical Fellowship qualification, which is a standard academic and professional benchmark in medical education globally.
In a formal petition to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, MDCAN expressed “utmost dismay” at the publication, calling the PhD-only stipulation a “premeditated and intentional disenfranchisement” of eligible medical and dental specialists.
The group stressed that this exclusionary requirement violates Federal Ministry of Education guidelines, which encourage inclusive criteria for VC appointments at federal institutions.
Citing precedent, the group referenced the case of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where similar exclusionary policies triggered unrest and necessitated presidential intervention.
In contrast, they noted that universities such as Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Benin have adopted more inclusive appointment criteria that align with national policies and international best practices.
Despite engaging with the university’s pro-chancellor on June 3 and sending official memos on June 2 and June 9, MDCAN said there has been no amendment or response from the Governing Council.
As a result, following an emergency meeting on June 13, MDCAN announced an indefinite and total withdrawal of clinical lecturers’ services.
In a communiqué signed by MDCAN-UNICAL Chairman, Dr. Patience Odusolu, and Secretary, Dr. Ehiosun Aigbomian, the group demanded the following: immediate withdrawal of the advert, publication of a new inclusive notice recognizing both Fellowship and PhD qualifications, extension of the application deadline to ensure fairness, and suspension of the current selection process until the criteria are revised.
The ongoing strike is expected to significantly disrupt academic activities in the university’s College of Medical Sciences and clinical operations at UCTH, where the affected lecturers serve dual academic and medical roles.
At the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), MDCAN’s chapter at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) has also decried the criteria listed in its May 29, 2025 VC vacancy announcement.
The advert, which mandates a PhD qualification, has been described by the group as “deliberate exclusion” of clinical academics.
In a strongly worded petition addressed to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, MDCAN-UNIUYO accused the administration of trying to “disenfranchise medical academics and favour a narrow group within the university.”
Signed by chapter Chairman Dr. Ibiok Uendiah and Secretary Dr. Solomon Bassey, the petition stated: “The requirement that applicants must hold a PhD is not only discriminatory but fails to recognize the long-established and government-approved qualification pathway for clinical lecturers, the Medical Fellowship.”
The crisis at UNIUYO is further complicated by instability in its Governing Council.
The appointed Pro-Chancellor, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd.), reportedly declined the position for undisclosed reasons.
In his absence, Prof. Hauwa Biu temporarily served as Acting Chairperson and oversaw the issuance of the contentious advert.
MDCAN emphasized that clinical lecturers undergo extensive postgraduate training, often spanning 6–7 years after medical school, to earn their Fellowship qualifications, making them well-qualified for academic leadership positions.
Additionally, the group criticized the stipulation requiring 10 recent journal publications within two years, calling it unrealistic given the complexity of conducting ethical clinical research involving human subjects.
“This requirement seems nearly impossible, unless students’ term papers are to be considered professorial research,” they remarked.
They also took issue with the 20-year uninterrupted teaching requirement, which they argued unfairly penalizes academics who have taken federally sanctioned sabbaticals, study leave, or secondments.
According to the group, “No such stipulation exists in federal guidelines or the university’s enabling law.”
In their concluding remarks, MDCAN warned that unless the university retracts the advert and reissues an inclusive call for applications, industrial peace cannot be guaranteed.
“We cannot guarantee industrial harmony if these policies are not reversed,” they declared, referencing their decision to suspend an earlier strike in good faith.
Their demands include the immediate withdrawal of the discriminatory advert, issuance of a new inclusive notice recognizing Fellowship qualifications, removal of unrealistic requirements on publications and continuous service, and assurance that all qualified candidates are allowed to contest fairly.
MDCAN gave the Governing Council until July 1, 2025, to act or risk further disruption of both academic and medical services across the university system.
