The Southeast caucus of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has declared a five-day warning strike in solidarity with staff at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
The strike affects universities in the South-East and South-South regions and is a protest against the exclusion of clinical lecturers from eligibility for the Vice-Chancellor position due to a requirement for candidates to hold a PhD.
MDCAN expressed concerns that this criterion, along with the demand for candidates to have secured at least $400 million in research grants and supervised PhD students, unfairly disqualifies clinical lecturers, who primarily oversee medical residents and fellows.
The association called on the Committees of Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors to address the discriminatory criteria and warned that failure to do so could lead to an escalation of the strike beyond the initial five days.
The caucus’ action may have been bolstered following the alleged unanimous rejection of the Vice-Chancellor advertisement by the Senate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
The Senate was alleged to have withdrawn from the selection process, calling on the council to retract the current advertisement and issue a more inclusive one.
In a letter dated October 16, 2024, signed by MDCAN South-East caucus leaders, Iroro Yarhere (Chairman) and Stanley Ogbonna (Secretary), the association condemned the discriminatory requirements, calling them unacceptable.
“A stipulation that candidates must be supervising PhD students, which unfairly disqualifies clinical lecturers primarily responsible for supervising medical residents and clinical fellows.
“A demand for candidates to have secured research grants of no less than 400 million Naira, a criterion that overlooks the nature of research in several disciplines in the university such as Language, arts etc, which may not always attract such large funding but significantly impacts university education and service delivery in the society.
“The advert also required a PhD of 15 years from the time of the advert. This exclusion is unacceptable to us, as it sets a dangerous precedent.
“Should this be allowed to stand, it could encourage other universities to adopt similar exclusionary policies, effectively denigrating the Fellowship qualifications with which clinical lecturers were employed at the rank of Lecturer I or higher.
“This development also undermines the professional standing of clinical lecturers who have contributed immensely to the academic, research, and service delivery missions of their respective universities”.
In its resolution, the caucus declared: “We strongly urge the Committees of Vice Chancellors and Pro Chancellors to intervene promptly and ensure that this discriminatory advert is reviewed to accommodate clinical lecturers and uphold the principle of equity in leadership selection within our academic institutions.
“Clinical lecturers are vital to the success of universities, and any attempt to undermine their qualifications will not be tolerated.
“Failure to address this issue will leave us with no choice but to escalate our industrial action beyond the five-day warning strike, in defence of the integrity and relevance of our Fellowship qualifications and professional contributions,” the caucus warned.
The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209.
______________________________________________________________________
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
________________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
