The University of Calabar - also known as UNICAL - is a university situated in Calabar, Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. It is one of Nigeria's second generation universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. The architecture was designed by John Elliott. It was established by decree to fulfill this traditional mandate, its motto “Knowledge for Service”.
The Vice Chancellor is Prof.James Epoke. The Registrar is Mr. Moses Abang. The University of Calabar was one of the foremost Nigerian Universities to automate students' registration processes through the College Portal, and has taken a step further to automate her alumni relations which includes an online transcript request and processing first of its kind in the country.
The male students are known as Malabites, while the female students are Malabresses. The male hostel is called Malabo. This was a result of challenges faced by the students at a time which coincided with the suffering experienced in Malabo by Nigerian deportees from Equatorial Guinea (whose capital is Malabo) at the time.
Coordinates: 4°57′00″N 8°19′30″E / 4.95000°N 8.32500°E / 4.95000; 8.32500
Calabar (also referred to as "Canaan City") is a city in Cross River State, south southern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Akwa Akpa, from the Efik language. The city is adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa Rivers and creeks of the Cross River (from its inland delta).
Calabar is the capital of Cross River State. Administratively, the city is divided into Calabar Municipal and Calabar South LGAs. It has an area of 406 square kilometres (157 sq mi) and had a population of 371,022 at the 2006 census.
The original town was known by the Efik name Akwa Akpa. The spelling Calaba remained till the British came and pronounced Calabar as Calabah. The neighboring town of Ataba took over the name and its Efik/Qua/Efut/Biase/Akampkpa indigenes became known as Calabar (pronounced Calabah). Calabar is a large metropolis today, with several towns like Akim, Ikot Ansa, Ikot Ishie, Kasuk, Duke Town, Henshaw Town, Ikot Omin, Obutong, Bakassi, Biase, and Akamkpa.