Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical School in Nnewi remains closed as clinical lecturers continue their strike, protesting the exclusion of their members from the race for the university’s next Vice-Chancellor.
The strike, led by the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, is disrupting academic activities, particularly for final-year medical students, some of whom have been in school for eight years.
The lecturers’ main issue is that the requirements for the VC position, advertised by the university, include a PhD.
This condition automatically excludes clinical lecturers, who argue that their Fellowships in various branches of medicine are equivalent to a PhD. Many of these doctors have also been professors for decades.
The lecturers first raised their concerns in a letter to the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Carol Arinze-Umeobi, on August 2, 2024. However, since the university’s governing council has not addressed their complaints, the strike has now entered its 12th day.
Speaking to reporters, Dr. Sunday Oriji, MDCAN Secretary, explained the lecturers’ frustration:
“Our congress observed that the advert for the VC position requires a first degree, Master’s degree, and PhD, but the academic pathway for clinical lecturers, both in UNIZIK and globally, does not align with this,” he said.
Dr. Oriji also pointed out that in previous advertisements for the VC position, clinical lecturers were not excluded. He emphasized that their strike would continue until the university takes action to address the situation.
“The advert deliberately excludes all of our members, and we will maintain the strike until the university’s management addresses this injustice,” Oriji added.
