The race for the position of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos

The race for the position of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos heats up as twenty-two professors are in keen contest for it. Available information indicates that as at February 2016, the professors had submitted applications for this position.

Among those reported to have submitted their applications to the university's governing council include the following: Audu Gambo, NK Dakum, AY Mallum, Bala Dogo, Ashom Musa, SS Maimako, Francis Ojaide, HA Lar, and, Dung Pam Sha.

The report also shows that the following are among the professors gunning for vice chancellorship slot: Andrews Haruna, Ezekiel Gaya Best, DI Mailafia, Daniel D. Dabi, N. Lohdip, NN James-Rugu, JS Rabo, Isaac Lar, EJC Nwana, and UD Danfulani, BT Bingel, GO Akpa, and Joseph Mangut.

Among the top contenders for the race are Prof. Dung Pam Sha, a Professor of Political Economy and Development Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and, Prof. Naomi Nari James-Rugu, a Professor of Zoology of the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

Among the two top contenders, Prof. Dung Pam Sham, is rated as the likely person to emerge to occupy the position based on his track record of being an intellectual of international repute and his wealth of experience.

Sha, 55, obtained his first degree in Political Science in 1982 from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a Masters Degree in Development Studies from the University of Jos in 1985, and a doctorate from the same university.

Sha's working career began in 1977 in both public and private sectors before he joined the Plateau State Polytechnic as a lecturer. In 19991, he joined the services of the University of Jos as Lecturer II and rising through the ranks to become a professor in 2007.

Sha has served the University of Jos in different capacities as available records shows that he held the positions of Acting Head, Department of Political Science, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Deputy Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, and Director, Office of Research and Development. He capped all these appointments by getting appointed into the Governing Council of the University of Jos, representing the Senate of the university in 2013, a position he still holds.

As for academics, Dung Pam Sha, had severally served as Departmental Examination Officer, and, Supervisor to Undergraduate, Masters, and PhD students. In the area of writing, he has served as a contributor and Editor to several scholarly journals; and at the same time, served as a visiting professor to several universities.

Sha is a member of numerous of academic and professional associations, worked for several international agencies, and engaged in numerous research activities. To crown it all, Dung Pam Sha has over 87 publications to his credit.

On 3rd March, 2016, Dung Pam Sha, presented an Inaugural Lecture in the University which did an exposition on the topic: "Streets and Boardrooms: Contending Hegemonic Spaces In Shaping Political Economy in Africa.

Based on these qualifications and experiences, Dung Pam Sha is the candidate to beat in this hotly contested race by egg heads.

Prof. Naomi Nari James-Rugu, another top contender for the post of the University of Jos Vice Chancellor, is a 1982 graduate of Zoology from the university. She holds a Masters degree in Applied Entomology and Parasitology and a PhD in Entomology from the same university.

Naomi, 54, became a professor in 2003 and was before this time, a Deputy Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences, and the university's Director of SIWES.

Naomi, like her colleague, has served as an external examiner to several universities, and an impactful academic speaker in conferences and workshops.

Pundits and Public Analysts are of the view that the race for the position of the Vice Chancellor is between these two academic giants.