Obi Responds to UNICAL’s Distress Call, Donates N20m to Faculty of Dentistry, Urges Govt Intervention

By Our correspondent

Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has once again demonstrated his commitment to education and healthcare by donating ₦20 million to the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Calabar (UNICAL). This came in response to a distress appeal from the institution regarding the absence of essential facilities, particularly dental chairs, which has hindered the academic progress of its students.

Mr. Obi visited the University on Friday to meet with the affected students following the SOS appeal he received on Saturday. After engaging with the students and faculty, he pledged immediate support to alleviate their challenges, underscoring the importance of ensuring that their education is not disrupted.

“I made a modest donation of ₦20 million to support the Faculty’s immediate requirements of providing dental chairs to equip the studies of the students,” Mr. Obi said. He stressed that no student should suffer academically due to circumstances beyond their control.

This visit follows a similar intervention by Mr. Obi at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he responded to a comparable appeal just last week.

Calling on the government to take swift and decisive action, Obi urged authorities to give the matter urgent attention by providing both financial and institutional support. “The Government must prioritise critical areas of development—education, healthcare, and pulling people out of poverty,” he stated.

He also commended the Vice Chancellor of UNICAL and her team for their tireless efforts in mitigating the challenges faced by the students, noting that such dedication deserves institutional backing.

“At this critical time in our nation, we must stop neglecting healthcare, education and the urgent task of lifting people out of poverty. Our children must not continue to lose their future in Nigeria,” Obi declared, adding that leaders must build a country where students can learn without facing the burden of inadequate facilities.

His visit and donation have once again drawn public attention to the deteriorating state of infrastructure in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria and the urgent need for sustainable interventions.