UNIJOS breaks 50-year barrier, names Patricia Lar first female VC

The Governing Council of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) has appointed Professor Patricia Mamko Lar as the institution’s 11th substantive Vice-Chancellor, making her the first woman to occupy the position in the university’s over 50-year history.

The appointment was announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026, by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Grace Folashade Bent, during a special meeting of the 15th Governing Council.

In a statement issued by Emmanuel Madugu, Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, on behalf of the Registrar and Secretary to Council, the university said the appointment followed the council’s decision to appoint a substantive head for the institution.

Presenting the letter of appointment to Lar, Bent urged the incoming Vice-Chancellor to remain focused in the discharge of her responsibilities.

The statement quoted the Pro-Chancellor as telling her to “be focused” as she prepares to assume leadership of the university.

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Lar succeeds Professor Tanko Ishaya, the university’s 10th Vice-Chancellor, whose tenure is coming to an end.

Her appointment marks a significant milestone in the university’s history, ending more than five decades without a woman occupying the institution’s highest administrative position.

Who is Professor Patricia Lar?

Professor Lar is a renowned scholar of Medical Microbiology and an experienced university administrator whose academic career at the University of Jos spans nearly four decades.

Born on January 1, 1964, in Langtang North, Plateau State, she began her academic journey at the university in 1987 as a Graduate Assistant and gradually rose through the ranks to become an Associate Professor in 2012 and a full Professor of Medical Microbiology in 2015.

She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1986, before earning a Master’s degree in Medical Microbiology in 1989 and a PhD in Medical Parasitology in 1998 from the University of Lagos.

Between 2002 and 2005, she undertook a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, under the NIH-Fogarty Fellowship Programme.

Her research interests include infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, viral genomics and phytomedicine. She has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to the training and mentorship of students.

Before her appointment, Lar had spent nearly four decades serving the University of Jos in various academic and research capacities.

Her emergence as Vice-Chancellor represents a landmark development for the institution and a new chapter in its leadership history.