By Nnaemeka Ogenyi,Uyo
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has urged the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Chris Ekong to resist the temptation to probe his predecessor but focus on maintaining excellent academic standard for the University.
Eno who made the call yesterday when he received the Chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Dr. Muiz Banire and members of the institution’s management team in Uyo advised him to be magnanimous in victory.
The governor said that probing the last administration could derail the new VC from track.
He described the new Vice Chancellor as a square peg in a square hole being an erudite scholar and given his cognate experience in the public service and expressed confidence in his capacity to deliver on the assignment.
“You are carrying into your new role cognate experience garnered through your work in the public service, having once served as a member of the State Executive Council of this great State, and now at the apex of academic excellence and administration.
“We have implicit faith in your capacity to deliver big on your new assignment. You have all it takes to make the University of Uyo, the Ivy- League of the Nigerian public university system and we are rooting for you all the way.” He said.
Eno who is an alumnus of the institution lauded the immediate past Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Samuel Adewumi, for seamlessly managing the process that led to the emergence of a substantive Vice Chancellor and assured them of his administration’s willingness to support and partnership.
Banire had while presenting the new VC described Ekong as an experienced leader who has contributed his quota to the development of the State, and always ready to serve.
He thanked the Governor for his numerous intervention projects within the University, and applauded him for his giant strides, visionary and impactful leadership which according to him has traversed across all the Local Government areas in the State.
In his remark, the new VC assured that he would work hard to maintain the institution’s academic excellence and justify the confidence reposed in him.
