There is a clear distinction between managing an institution and leading one, and at the University of Uyo, the Ekong administration appears to be choosing leadership.
As the administration approaches its first 100 days, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Christopher N. Ekong, has embarked on town hall meetings across the University’s campuses to engage directly with academic and non-academic staff.
The exercise is aimed at giving staff the opportunity to speak openly about challenges affecting their Faculties, Departments and units, and to get immediate feedback from the University management.
At the Annex and College of Medical Sciences campuses alone, staff raised concerns on manpower shortages, inadequate facilities, laboratory equipment, office space, transportation, accommodation, power supply, security and delays in students’ results.
Unlike routine consultations, the Vice-Chancellor responded to many of the issues raised with specific interventions already being considered by his team.
According to the administration, plans are underway for a new result management system, provision of free internet across campuses, construction of laboratories, rehabilitation of hostels, and improved working environments for staff.
Other measures disclosed include alternative power solutions, payment of minimum wage to casual workers, installation of CCTV cameras for security, and a new waste management approach for the University.
Prof. Ekong said the town halls are in line with the vision of renewal and restoration he outlined at his inauguration, stressing that a University cannot be renewed without understanding the realities of those who work in it.
“You cannot fully understand an institution from reports and files alone. You must listen to the people who experience its challenges every day,” the Vice-Chancellor told staff during one of the engagements.
The meetings have brought forward voices that rarely feature in official memos from lecturers in poorly equipped offices to medical students who travel long distances for practicals, and casual workers worried about their livelihood.
University officials described the town halls as the foundation of a people-oriented administration, one that prioritises listening, learning, and acting on issues that matter most to staff and students.
As UNIUYO marks the 100 day milestone of the Ekong administration, the town hall meetings are being seen as a clear statement of intent: to confront problems head-on, fix what can be fixed, build what is missing, and move the University forward.
Staff unions present at the meetings commended the Vice-Chancellor for breaking with tradition and taking governance directly to the grassroots of the University. They noted that the open engagement has boosted morale and created a sense of ownership among workers across campuses.
Students’ leaders also welcomed the initiative, saying that many of the concerns raised, particularly around results processing and infrastructure, directly affect learning outcomes. They expressed hope that the commitments made would translate into visible projects within the next academic session.
Education expert, students and staff within the University community say the town halls could set a new template for participatory governance in Nigerian universities. With the Ekong administration signaling a willingness to act on feedback, expectations are now high that the next 100 days will focus on implementation and measurable impact.
