, has announced the appointment of Professor Francis Aba Uba as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution.){kind=link}
The Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), has announced the appointment of Professor Francis Aba Uba as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution.
The announcement, made on May 13, 2025, marks a new chapter in the leadership of Nigeria’s first health sciences university.
Professor Uba, a distinguished pediatric surgeon and respected academic affiliated with the University of Jos, Plateau State, hails from Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State and is of Idoma ethnic descent.
With a career deeply rooted in the care of children facing complex surgical conditions, he has also made notable strides in academic research, boasting 87 scholarly publications and over 1,100 citations to his name.
His academic profile has earned him recognition on the AD Scientific Index 2025, where he is ranked 265th at the University of Jos, 16,946th in Nigeria, 15,946th in Africa, and 2,384,794th globally.
These rankings underscore his contributions to the advancement of pediatric surgery and academic excellence.
The university community has long awaited this development, with staff and stakeholders expressing hope that his emergence will bring renewed focus, stability, and growth to FUHSO.
Many believe that Professor Uba’s vast experience, knowledge, and integrity will be instrumental in tackling pressing issues confronting the university.
Among the challenges expected to receive immediate attention are the regularization of ‘uncaptured’ staff, payment of outstanding 28-day allowances, arrears owed to already captured personnel, infrastructural decay, low staff morale, training opportunities, and overall staff welfare.
There is a growing call for the new Vice Chancellor to steer clear of praise singers and clannish influences, and instead foster a leadership style that is inclusive, transparent, and reform-driven.
Stakeholders urge him to remain open to constructive criticism and to collaborate with individuals genuinely committed to the progress of the institution.
While the task ahead is daunting, confidence remains high that with divine guidance and collective support from the university community, Professor Francis Aba Uba will lead FUHSO into a new era of academic excellence and institutional transformation.