University of Jos gets substantive Vice Chancellor

The University of Jos has announced the appointment of its Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics – Prof. Tanko Ishaya as its substantive Vice Chancellor, to replace Prof. Sebastian Maimako whose tenure expired in June.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) in May suspended the process for the appointment of a successor for the former VC for unexplained reasons, sparking widespread criticisms.

The 14th Governing Council of the University on Friday approved the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for the University, says an official press statement, five months later. He takes over from Professor Gray Goziem Ejikeme who was appointed in Acting capacity.

The appointment followed the Council’s consideration of some recommendation of the University’s Joint Council and Senate Selection Board, says a statement issued by the Varsity spokesperson, Abdullahi Abdullahi.

The appointment will take effect from 1st December, 2021 and last for a single term of five years, the statement said.

Ishaya, 57 is a Professor of Computer Science with a speciality in Data Engineering, Computer Security and Forensics. He obtained his B.Sc. in Mathematics Education (2nd Class Upper Division) in 1992 at University of Jos and began work as a lecturer in Mathematics at the College of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi State.

Ishaya proceeded to the University of Manchester, United Kingdom to pursue an M.Sc. programme in Computation which he successfully completed in 1997. He later enrolled for his PhD in Computing Studies which he successfully completed in 2001. He was promoted to the rank of Professor of Computer Science in 2012.

He joined the University of Hull in October 2000 as a Lecturer and was Head of the Centre for Internet Computing at the University before returning to Nigeria in 2008 as a visiting Professor to the University of Jos whilst on his Sabbatical. Ishaya was the founding Director of the University’s Directorate for Information and Communication Technology from where he returned back to the University of Hull in January 2009 after his Sabbatical.

Professor Tanko came back to Unijos in 2012 on special request by the University to serve as the Director, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and doubled as the pioneer Head of Computer Science Department at the University. He has served in over 60 University Committees at the University of Hull and the University Jos. A member of several professional bodies and associations, including the being a Fellow of both the British Computer Society (BCS) and Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Professor Tanko is a seasoned, multi-skilled IT professional equipped with over Twenty-Five (25) years experience.

According to Abdullahi, Professor Ishaya’s research interests are “diverse and wide ranging from providing technology support in a variety of areas to more technical aspects of security and trustworthy computing, digital and computer forensics computing”.

He has over 40 journals, book chapters, conference and research report publications and has successfully executed a number of national and internationally funded projects. He has successfully attracted external research and development grants, graduated Five (5) PhD students and more than 40 M.Sc. Students in Computing/Computer Science in the UK and Nigeria. Professor Tanko has also successfully supervised the B.Sc Projects of over 60 Final Year Students of Computing/Computer Science in the UK and over 40 Final Year Students in Nigeria.