Entrance gate of the University of Jos (UNIJOS)
The contest for the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) is gathering momentum, with eight professors reportedly seeking the institution’s top administrative position amid growing calls for transparent leadership, accountability and improved university governance.
The contest comes at a significant time for the Plateau State-owned institution, as it prepares for a leadership transition following the completion of Professor Tanko Ishaya’s five-year tenure on November 30, 2026.
At a stakeholders’ interactive session held at the university’s ASUU Secretariat, Naraguta Campus, on Monday, November 9, representatives of the university community challenged the aspirants to demonstrate how they would address longstanding institutional needs, improve staff and students’ welfare, attract sustainable funding and strengthen research and innovation.
The session was organised by the university’s Advancement Office in collaboration with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), providing an opportunity for the aspirants to present their leadership visions and respond to questions about the future of the institution.
Seven of the reported eight aspirants were identified as Professors Ikonne Ogaji, Victor Duga, Sati Fwatshak, Anthony Dakum, Patricia Lar, Bernard Matur and Simon Yiltok.
Their presentations covered critical issues surrounding university administration, including governance, institutional funding, labour relations, welfare, research, innovation and sustainable development.
Accountability takes centre stage
One of the major concerns raised during the engagement was the need for university leaders to exercise authority responsibly and ensure that decisions affecting staff and students are guided by transparency and established institutional procedures.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Karl Kumm University, Professor Nanven Gambo, challenged the aspirants to place integrity, accountability, transparency and inclusiveness at the centre of their leadership.
Speaking on labour relations, welfare and conflict resolution, Gambo said university administration should be driven by the common good rather than personal interests.
He identified accountability, transparency, due process, inclusiveness, effectiveness and integrity as essential principles for managing higher institutions.
He warned that excluding stakeholders from decisions affecting them could create avoidable problems within the university community.
Gambo also cautioned against poor communication and administrative practices that disregard established institutional procedures, stressing that universities have traditions and regulations that must be respected.
Who funds the university, and at what cost?
Beyond internal governance, the question of how universities attract and manage financial resources also featured prominently.
Judith Ogedegbe, who spoke on institutional funding and resource mobilisation, challenged the aspirants to look beyond attracting donations and consider the credibility, character and intentions of individuals and organisations offering financial support.
She stressed that university leaders must understand the motives behind financial contributions and ensure that such support aligns with the institution’s interests.
“When a donor makes a donation to an institution, why is he donating? What is the character behind that donation? Who is donating to your institution? Why is he donating? What is the motive behind that donation?” she asked.
Ogedegbe said responsible resource mobilisation requires university administrators to examine these considerations rather than focus exclusively on the financial benefits of donations.
She also urged the aspirants to demonstrate a clear educational vision and consider the lasting contributions they would make to the institution.
Students’ concerns to reach next administration
ASUU Chairman, Professor Joseph Molwus, said the engagement was designed to ensure that critical stakeholders were involved in discussions about the university’s future leadership.
“The university does not exist in isolation. That is why we have extended invitations to all the critical stakeholders to come and interact with those who have indicated interest in becoming the next vice-chancellor of the University of Jos,” he said.
Molwus urged the aspirants to approach the contest as an opportunity to serve rather than a personal struggle for power.
“One of you, by the grace of God, is going to become our Vice-Chancellor. It is not a battle, and it is not a do-or-die affair. Whoever emerges will simply be one among equals,” he said.
He disclosed that ASUU had earlier engaged student leaders to obtain their views on previous and present university administrations, as well as their expectations from the incoming management.
According to him, the union had compiled the concerns and recommendations raised by the students into a document to be presented to the successful candidate as a guide for the incoming administration.
A major leadership decision for UNIJOS
The stakes surrounding the contest are significant given the size and responsibilities of the institution.
Established as a full-fledged university in 1975, UNIJOS has grown into a major centre of higher education, with 19 faculties, more than 34,000 full-time undergraduate students and over 1,300 academic staff, according to its 2026 vice-chancellorship vacancy announcement.
The university also highlighted its research and innovation ambitions, including its centres of excellence and programmes in areas such as food security, phytomedicine, computing and artificial intelligence.
In June 2026, the university advertised the vice-chancellorship position, stating that the vacancy would take effect on December 1, 2026.
The appointment is for a single, non-renewable five-year term.
The selection process has also attracted public attention. On November 1, the university issued a clarification following concerns raised in an online publication about the transparency of the process.
Management maintained that the selection was being conducted in accordance with the University of Jos Act, explaining that the Governing Council has responsibility for the appointment process.
As the race progresses, the incoming Vice-Chancellor will inherit the responsibility of consolidating the university’s achievements while addressing its institutional challenges.
For the university community, the central question is no longer simply who will occupy the office, but who can provide the leadership, accountability and vision required to move UNIJOS forward over the next five years.
