Unijos names Maimako VC amidst uncertainty

The Governing Council of the University of Jos, central Nigeria, has allegedly gone against a court injunction by presenting Prof. Sebastian Maimako as the institution’s ‎next Vice Chancellor.

Though a source within the institution could not confirm whether the injunction placed by a federal High Court in Bauchi actually reached the Council, the Chairman of Council, Don Etiebet, has, nonetheless, presented the incoming Vice Chancellor with his letter of appointment in a grand ceremony on Friday.

The court action was instituted by Medical professionals within and outside the institution who are protesting their exclusion from the “selection” process on the grounds that they do not ‎possess the PhD certificate.

Prof. Sebastian Maimako is the Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences of the University.

The medical stakeholders are said to be preparing for a show down with the authorities over the alleged disregard of the court order.

It was gathered that the Council invoked a clause in the selection process of the Vice Chancellor that stipulates that unless a candidate for such position has obtained the PhD qualification, such a person should not be considered for the position; a development that affected those in the medical field who become Doctors without necessarily having the PhD degree.

Maimako, a Professor of Accounting and Finance, has held several administrative positions including Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Head, Acting Head, Department of Management Sciences, all in the University of Jos.

A 1987 graduate of Management Studies from the University of Jos, Professor Maimako, 54, took up appointment with University of Jos in 1989 as a Graduate Assistant. He was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2010 and appointed Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences on 1st April, 2015.

He obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration in 1992 and bagged a PhD Degree in Management in 2006 and was chosen from among 18 other contestants within and from outside the institution who vied for the position.