By EHIGIMETOR IGBAUGBA

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UniCal), Prof. Offiong Offiong, says professorship must be earned through scholarship, integrity, and contributions to knowledge, not long service or entitlement.

Offiong stated this on Saturday at the 7th Distinguished Lecture Series of the University’s College of Postgraduate Studies, held at the Godswill Akpabio International Conference Centre, UniCal.

The lecture was themed, “Who Is a Professor: The Concept, Eligibility and Profession.”

He said that the credibility of a university depended on its commitment to academic excellence, stressing that standards for professorial appointments must not be compromised by familiarity, sentiments, or institutional convenience.

The vice-chancellor urged participants to reflect on the responsibilities and professional ethics associated with the professorial calling.

The Chairman of the event, Prof. James Epoke, described the theme as timely, noting that perceptions of professors varied across society.

He challenged participants to consider the qualities that defined a professor, including intellectual depth, scholarship, and mentorship, rather than public visibility or conventional stereotypes.

In her welcome address, the Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Anne Asuquo, said the lecture series provided a platform for bridging the gap between the university and society through research, critical inquiry, innovation, and public engagement.

The guest lecturer, Prof. Victor Dugga, challenged misconceptions that professors must be old, always right, or communicate in complex language.

Dugga advocated open discussion and respect for divergent views in academic engagement.

He also identified different categories of professors and highlighted challenges confronting Nigerian universities, including inadequate resources.

Dugga noted that professorship was not an endpoint but a continuing commitment to scholarship, mentorship, and societal development. (NAN)