By Uche Bibilari
The Governing Council of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), chaired by Air-Vice Marshal Saddiq Kaita (retd), has approved the appointment of Prof Aisha Maikudi as the 7th substantive vice-chancellor of the university.
The acting Director of Information and University Relations, UniAbuja, Dr Habib Yakoob, disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
Yakoob said that the appointment was announced during the 77th Extraordinary meeting of the council on December 31.
He said the appointment takes effect on January 1, 2025, and was for a non-renewable five-year tenure.
The university spokesperson said that Maikudi emerged as the best among the 10 shortlisted candidates and was interviewed by the university’s Joint Council and Senate Selection Board by the extant regulations governing the process.
The spokesperson said that before Maikudi was appointed the substantive VC, she served in an acting capacity from July 5 to date.
He said that during the period, Maikudi worked closely with the Governing Council to stabilise the university through a challenging crisis, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment.
He said Maikudi, born on January 31, 1983, was a distinguished scholar and professor of International Law at the University of Abuja.
He said her educational journey began at Sacred Heart School, Kaduna, where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in 1993.
He said she proceeded to Queens College, Yaba, Lagos, where she earned her West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1999.
Maikudi’s academic excellence took her to the University of Reading, where she earned an LLB in 2004.
She further specialised in Public International Law, obtaining an LLM from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2005.
Maikudi completed her legal education at the Nigerian Law School from 2006 to 2007 and then pursued and received a PhD in International Law from the University of Abuja in 2015.
However, the new vice-chancellor joined the University of Abuja as a Lecturer II on September 4, 2008, and rose to become a professor in 2021.
He said Maikudi broke barriers as the first female Head of Department in 2013, the first female Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law in 2018, and the pioneer Director of the University of Abuja International Centre in 2019.
She also served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), instrumental in enhancing academic standards and promoting a culture of excellence at the University.
He said that, as an innovator in her field, she introduced the United Nations Law course at the University of Abuja in 2019, which was backed by extensive research and numerous publications in academic journals and book chapters.
“She is also highly experienced in supervising theses and dissertations, contributing to the growth of legal scholarship.
“Maikudi has represented her university and country at numerous national and international conferences, workshops, and training sessions across the UK, US, South Africa, Germany, Italy, China, Ghana, and Egypt.
She has presented papers at many of these events, further solidifying her global reputation as an academic leader.
The new Vice-Chancellor is an active member of several professional organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Law Teachers Association (NLTA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and Nigerian Society of International Law.
He said her tenure promised a new era of progress and transformation for the University of Abuja.
