Ishaya Appointed New VC Of UNIJOS, Assumes Office

The 14th Governing Council of the University of Jos has approved the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for the University, Professor Tanko Ishaya who is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Jos.

The process was not without intrigues and external interference as the Federal Government was at a time accused of undue influence. As the university could not come up with a substantive VC at the end of the tenure of the Prof. Sebastian Maimako, an acting VC had to be appointed to hold forth.

No fewer than 19 Professors eyed the position, and each jostled to be the favoured candidate. Among the front runners were Ishaya, Prof. Yiltok Simon, Prof. Wannang Noel, and Prof David Wonang

Others were Profs. Bernard Matur, Dimis Mailafia, Daniel Dabi, Sylvester Shikyil, Dung Pam Sha, Uriah Alex Lar, Isuwa Jurmang, Patricia Lar, Pam Yakubu as well as Stephen Mallo, But with the emergence of Ishaya, the contest has been brought to an end.

According to a statement signed by a Principal Assistant Registrar of the university, Mr. Abdullahi Abdullahi, his emergence was from the Council’s consideration of the recommendation of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board at the Council’s Special Meeting held on Friday 12th November, 2021.

Ishaya’s appointment will take effect from 1st December, 2021, and will last for a single term of five years.

The new Vice-Chancellor is a Professor of Computer Science with a Mathematics background and specialism and experience 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. Professor 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 Ph.D in Computing Studies which he successfully completed in 2001. Professor Tanko 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.

The new VC 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), He is a seasoned, multi-skilled IT professional equipped with over 25-year experience

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 PhD students and more than 40 M.Sc. Students in Computing/Computer Science in the UK and Nigeria. Ishaya 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.

Aged 57, Ishaya who hails from Zuru, Kebbi State, is married to Mrs. Sharon Ishaya and they have three children.

He takes over from Professor Gray Goziem Ejikeme whose term as Acting Vice-Chancellor expires on 30th November, 2021.