The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, would attend the 50th anniversary of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) billed for March 17 – 22nd, 2025.
He made the commitment when a delegation comprising the management and Alumni of UNICAL paid him a courtesy visit in his office primarily to invite him for the Anniversary.
He, also an alumnus of UNICAL, said the epoch-making event of the 50th anniversary of the university was remarkable and something worth celebrating.
“We will be there in full force to support you. We will also take the catalogue of things you intend to do. We can tick the ones we can also assist you to do.” Akpabio, who was a speaker of the Student Parliament, reminisced about his days at UNICAL when he said: “I was one of those who fought for the interest of the students. I was one of those who never had the privilege of sojourning in the main campus where you could have constant electricity. Instead, I chose to be in Malabo with all the mosquitoes.
“It is really a thing of joy to be alive to see the University at 50. It is also a great thing of joy to see a delegation coming to invite me to join you.
“This visit today is a very uncommon visit which will result in an uncommon transformation of the University beyond 50.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, who led the delegation said the mission was to invite the Senate President for the historic event and intimate him with the line up of activities for UNICAL at 50.
Professor Obi said Akpabio did so much for UNICAL when he was governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“We have come here today to tell you we have come of age as a University…We want to let the world know that we have actually come of age as a second generation University in Nigeria,” he said.