Fatshimetrie – Excluding medical and dental consultants from the selection of the Vice Chancellor at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK Awka Anambra State is unfair and discriminatory, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has said. According to the Association, the exclusion constitutes an injustice and undermines the crucial role its members play in the academic and administrative leadership of the institution.
In a joint statement signed by MDCAN President, Professor Mohammad Aminu and Secretary, Professor Daiyabu Ibrahim, in Jos, the Association said medical and dental education is a critical component of the University’s mission to produce competent health professionals who contribute to the national and global health system. It is therefore imperative that they be given adequate representation in matters relating to the governance and future of the institution.
MDCAN maintains that the exclusion of its members, distinguished academics and administrators with vast experience both academically and clinically, sends a message that their contributions to the growth and development of the university are undervalued. Such a move could lead to a breakdown in academic collaboration, reduce morale and ultimately affect the quality of medical and dental education at UNIZIK.
The association urges the UNIZIK Governing Council and other relevant stakeholders to withdraw their earlier advertisement for the selection of the Vice Chancellor and ensure that all academic disciplines, particularly medical and dental educators, are well represented.
It stresses that MDCAN remains committed to supporting academic excellence and leadership in Nigerian universities and calls for an early resolution of the impasse, while monitoring the situation at UNIZIK, hoping that the situation will not degenerate into a crisis.
This controversy highlights the importance of the representation and valorization of all academic disciplines within the decision-making processes of university institutions, in order to guarantee the integrity, development and excellence of teaching and research.