The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (Unical), Professor Florence Obi, has called for calm over the delayed induction of the 2016 Dentistry graduates, assuring students and parents that concrete steps are being taken to resolve the matter.
In an interview Prof. Obi addressed the emotional toll the crisis has taken on affected students, some of whom have reportedly expressed suicidal thoughts due to the prolonged delay in their induction by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
“I want to really appeal to the students and to parents because I have read somewhere that students are getting depressed and some of them are threatening suicide,” she said. “I appeal to my students to be calm. On my honour, we will work with MDCN to resolve the issue.”
The MDCN had denied induction to the graduating class after it was discovered that the university admitted 60 students into the Dentistry program — far above the council’s approved limit of 10. This over-admission, according to Prof. Obi, is at the heart of the crisis.
In a move to secure quick resolution, the Vice Chancellor disclosed her plans to seek the intervention of the Minister of Education, adding that the recruitment of additional staff — a key MDCN requirement — is already underway.
“If we can hire the required staff promptly, and once we get the needed clearance from the MDCN, I believe we can begin to induct these students within the next one or two months,” she stated.
Prof. Obi did not shy away from addressing the administrative lapses that led to the over-admission. She vowed that internal mechanisms would be activated to investigate and penalize those found culpable, including the dean, admission officer, and the provost.
“We will query all involved. There will definitely be consequences,” she said.
When asked whether she accepts responsibility as the university’s leader, Prof. Obi affirmed: “Of course, I take responsibility — even for issues I inherited. I am the head.”
She expressed personal anguish over the matter, citing her dedication to resolving the Dentistry program’s accreditation challenges since assuming office.
Meanwhile, protests by affected students continue as they demand immediate action and transparency from the university management.
