Students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have voiced opposition to a directive mandating attendance at an interdenominational service, prompting calls for calm from authorities.

The controversy follows a memo issued by Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Eyo Offiong Mensah, dated January 14, 2026 (Ref: UC/SAD/PGS/001), instructing all undergraduate and postgraduate students to attend the service on Monday, January 19, 2026, and to be seated before it began.

Some students criticized the memo on social media, calling its language “coercive and authoritarian” and questioning its inclusivity, given the diverse faiths represented on campus. Emmanuel Oko Ogar, a student, argued that while many students may be Christians, mandating participation violates constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and association.

Reacting to the backlash, Special Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu on Students’ Orientation, Mr. Afufu Anthony Ogbor, urged students to remain calm. He explained that while the memo’s tone may have seemed forceful, the intention was to foster community prayer for peace, unity, and wellbeing, not to compel religious observance. Ogbor also cited Chapter Four of the Nigerian Constitution, which protects freedom of worship and association.

The university administration is reportedly reviewing the memo to address concerns while maintaining its objective of promoting communal harmony.