The University of Calabar situated in Cross River State, South-south Nigeria, is one of Nigeria’s second generation and foremost Federal Universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. The architecture was designed by John Elliott. It was established by decree to fulfill this traditional mandate, its motto, “Knowledge for Service”.
The university was established to fulfil among others: To encourage the advancement of knowledge of learning and to hold out to all person without distinctions of race, creed, sex or political conviction the opportunity of acquiring liberal education, to provide courses of instruction and other facilities for the pursuit of learning in all its branches, and to make those facilities available on proper terms of such persons as are equipped to benefit from them, to encourage and promote scholarship and conduct research in all fields of learning and human endeavor, to relate its activities to the social, cultural and economic needs of the people of Nigeria; and To undertake any other activities appropriate for a University of the highest standards.
With the tenure of Professor Zana I. Akpagu as the 10th Vice Chancellor of the foremost institution drawing to a close, the University community is in the threshold of getting another erudite scholar to fulfil its statutory mandate. It is important to note that the University needs someone who has the sapience and the sagacity to coordinate all facet of the institution without divide and can carve a niche for the institution.
With the public outcry of the carnage in the Nigeria educational system, the University of Calabar needs a man who has a broad understanding of the 21st century academic demands with the zeal to bring in radical reforms that can make the University compete on a global scale.
It is within the prism of these standard that Professor Joseph Ele Asor, a reputable global scholar stands out amongst his co-contenders for the post to manage the affairs of the digitalized and globalised citadel institution of education. His intellectual dominance and accommodating spirit has made him an emerging force in the academic environment. A renaissance scientist that has navigated the entire spectrum of life and has what it takes to fix a system. An Academic Ewata 1.
Born on the 19th of June 1963 in Ekureku, Abi local Government area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Professor Joseph Asor is a son of a seasoned and renowned academic scholar Late Mr. Asor Ele. Professor Joseph started his academic espionage at primary school Ekureku, Abi local government area from 1970-1975, where he obtained his first school leaving certificate in 1975 with flying colours. He then proceeded to the famous Mary Knoll College, Ogoja, Cross River State in the same year and obtained the West African School certificate (WASC) in 1980. He attended the University of Port-Harcourt in 1980-1984 and obtained the Bachelor of science (B.sc) degree in Zoology; after his mandatory I year NYSC in 1985, as a lover of education, he returned back to university of PortHarcourt in 1987-1989 and 1993-1995 and obtained Master of science (M.sc) degree in Parasitology and a Doctor of philosophy (Ph.d) degree in Parasitology respectively.
In his 29 years of distinguished public service, Professor J.A. has held the following eminent positions of trust and responsibilities: Rector, Cross River State College of Agriculture, 1998-2002 now Cross River State University of Technology;
Dean, Student Affairs Department University of Calabar, 2006-2011; Head, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Calabar 2013-2014; Member, Governing Council, Cross River State College of Agriculture 1998-2002; Member, Governing Council, Cross River University of Technology 2002; Member, Governing Council, College of Education, Akamkpa 2011-2015; Board member, Cross River State Community and Social Development Agency 2018 to date. He is currently the Dean, Faculty of science, University of Calabar.
He has also served in various capacities including chairman or member of several committees in the University of Calabar. Professor Joseph Asor has been a Member of the Senate of the University of Calabar since 2006 to date.
Professor Asor served distinctively with the defunct Polytechnic Calabar now Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) between 1990-1996 where he taught in the department of Biological Sciences before joining the services of the University of Calabar in 1996 as Lecturer II and has since risen through the ranks to the peak as a Professor in the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology.
Professor Joseph Asor has become a reckoning force at the National Universities Commission (NUC) having served on many occasions as either chairman or member of the Accreditation Panel of the commission to different universities in the country. The commission has found his contributions to its activities indispensable in promoting quality education in the Sub Sahara.
Apart from his intellectual prowess and accolades, Professor Joseph Asor is a bridge builder and a unifier. His mentorship has helped in lifting many young Nigerians from their poor and hopeless state to stardom and prominence. Professor Asor has supervised many post-graduate students at both M.Sc and Ph.D levels
Professor Asor has published over fifty peer reviewed articles in national and international journals. His scholarly depth is unassailable and his managerial capacity is phenomenal. Truly, Asor personifies the statutory requirements to lead a pacesetting institution like the University of Calabar at this time where the entire system is in dare need of resuscitators. The very brilliant Professor has attended several conferences, workshops and seminars where he is also a regular speaker at some of those events and a member and patron of several professional bodies.
The entire spectra of people within and outside the state are yearning and praying for the emergence of Professor Joseph Asor as the next vice chancellor being convinced of what he can bring to the table. He is happily married to his heartthrob, Dr. (Mrs) Love Joseph Asor and they are blessed with 3 children – two daughters and a son.
Joseph Ele Asor is unarguably a Professor of repute whose profile is deserving of the Office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar. In deed, Professor Asor is the best man for the job.
This opinion article was written by the Abuja based Ekureku Consultative Initiators.
NB: Opinions expressed in this article are strictly attributable to the authors, Ekureku Consultative Initiators and do not represent the opinion of CrossRiverWatch.
Update: 2:19PM (4/7/2020) This opinion article has been edited to remove “Being an opinion document of the Ekureku Consultative Initiators” which served as the introduction in reflection of the house style of CrossRiverWatch.