Professor Florence Obi of the Faculty of Education has emerged the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Cross River State. She emerged after a rigorous screening exercise involving 12 other candidates.

She will take over from Prof. Zana Akpagu, whose tenure ends on November 30, 2020.

The announcement of the new Vice-Chancellor was made by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, UNICAL, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu. She congratulated her for emerging the first female Vice-Chancellor of the 45-year-old institution.

She said Obi’s emergence is a victory for the women and said the 10th Governing Council expects her to build on what the outgoing Vice-Chancellor had done.

She advised her to look at what the outgoing Vice-Chancellor has done and start from where he has stopped as governance is a continuum.

The new VC expressed gratitude to God and promised to run an inclusive administration. "I have just received my appointment letter from the 12th Council as Vice Chancellor-elect. The process was free and fair, and I promise to run an inclusive administration.”

Obi was a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, and former Commissioner for Women Affairs in Cross River State.