Department of History and International Studies

Brief History of the Department

HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES was one of the 12 foundational programmes that were established at the inception of academic activities in the University in 2011. Originally a programme under the Department of Humanities, which it shared with English and Communication Studies (ECS), scholarship in the programme at FUOtuoke commenced with two lecturers and 13 students. The first lectures under the programme were held in late 2012, just before the phenomenal 2012 flooding occurred in the host-community and its environs. The discipline was granted autonomy in February 2015, thus becoming a full-fledged department in the University. This engendered activities in the new Department and further enabled its restructuring. Since that year (2015) the Department has witnessed a considerable and consistent growth in the number of both its students and teaching staff.

The Department operates an academic curriculum that is tailored along the stipulations contained in the National Universities Commission (NUC) Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS). Currently, the Department offers B.A. History and International Studies programme. Most of the academic staff members belong to several academic professional associations, especially the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), and are often engaged in diverse academic activities, both locally and internationally. The Department is equally a stake-holder in Ofuruma – Journal of the Humanities, which was established for the promotion and development of humanities scholarship. Students in the Department, on their part, have their own association, the Students’ Historical Society of Nigeria (SHSN), for the promotion of the study of History and International Studies. These students are quite active and energetic in divergent students’ activities and affairs.

Since its inception, the Department has been led by the following persons: Professor Diri Teilanyo (2011 – 2013), Dr. Okechukwu Okeke (2013 – 2016), Dr. Akachi Odoemene (2016 – 2021), and Dr. Ikaonaworio Eferebo (2021 – date).

Staff list in the Department