Prof. Offiong E. Offiong emerges new UNICAL Vice Chancellor

Professor Offiong Efanga Offiong, a renowned Professor of Organic Chemistry and former Commissioner for Education in Cross River State, has emerged as the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

He succeeds Prof. Florence Banku Obi, who made history as the institution’s first female Vice Chancellor.

Born on November 6, 1963, in Calabar, Prof. Offiong is a distinguished scholar, seasoned administrator, and respected academic leader.

He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Coordination/Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Calabar.

His doctoral research was supported by a DAAD scholarship, which allowed him to conduct part of his study at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany.

He also earned a Certificate in Equipment Maintenance from Bristol Polytechnic in the United Kingdom.

Prof. Offiong began his academic career in 1985 as a Graduate Assistant and rose to the rank of Professor in 2002.

He has supervised seven Master’s and sixteen Ph.D. theses, one of which earned the National Universities Commission (NUC) Award for Best Thesis in Physical Sciences in Nigeria.

Many of his students have also become Professors and Associate Professors, reflecting his deep commitment to mentorship and academic development.

A prolific researcher, Prof. Offiong has published over 90 papers in top-tier journals and is widely cited in international academic databases.

He has served as an external examiner in several Nigerian universities, including the University of Uyo, University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Abuja.

Within UNICAL, he has held several key administrative positions such as Sub-Dean and Dean of the Faculty of Science, Dean of Students’ Affairs, and member of the Governing Council between 2000 and 2004.

He also held leadership positions in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), serving as Chairman, Zonal Coordinator, and National Vice President.

In public service, Prof. Offiong served as the Cross River State Commissioner for Education from 2007 to 2015.

During his tenure, the state’s educational sector experienced remarkable transformation, with WAEC rankings improving from 22nd to 6th and 7th positions nationally in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

He was instrumental in establishing the Institute of Technology and Management (ITM), Ugep, and reviving the former College of Education in Akamkpa (now a university).

He also chaired the Forum of State Commissioners for Education (2009–2015) and served on the Presidential Task Team on Education.

Prof. Offiong has received several international fellowships, chaired numerous NUC accreditation panels, and served as a member of the Presidential Visitation Panel to Obafemi Awolowo University in 2021.

He is also deeply involved in community service, serving as the immediate past President of the Boys Brigade Nigeria (Cross River State Council), a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, and Chairman of the Education Committees of both the Obong of Calabar Executive Forum and the Presbyterian Schools in Nigeria.

He is married to Prof. (Mrs.) Ame I. Offiong, a Professor of Finance at the University of Calabar, and they are blessed with three children, Efanga, Asa, and Eme.

During his declaration to contest for the position of Vice Chancellor, Prof. Offiong emphasized the need to restore academic freedom, improve staff welfare, and raise the university’s ranking and employability.

“Most importantly, there must be a liberal academic environment. Nobody should be in a university system where their liberty is compromised. As a scholar, you need academic freedom,” he said.

He further expressed concern about UNICAL’s current position in national rankings, saying, “There is nothing wrong in retaining graduates to nurture their zeal and contribution to the same institution that shaped them.”

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