University of Maiduguri - Department of History and Strategic Studies

Historical Overview

The Department of History is a citadel of knowledge in the University of Maiduguri, with roots tracing back to the North-East College of Arts and Science (NECAS).

The Department has its roots in the North-East College of Arts and Science (NECAS), which University of Maiduguri inherited in 1975 with a solid foundation laid by renowned academics of international repute drawn from Europe, America, the Caribbean and Africa.

The Department of History and Strategic Studies, is a hub of knowledge in the University of Maiduguri. The Department has its roots in the North-East College of Arts and Science (NECAS), which University of Maiduguri inherited in 1975 with a solid foundation laid by renowned academics of international repute drawn from Europe, America, the Caribbean and Africa. The University provided the Department with the opportunity to start a B.A. (Hons) degree in History. It was initially called the Department of African Civilisation and World History, which was later changed to Department of History in 1979, and the Department of History and Strategic Studies in 2023. The cardinal focus of research and teaching in the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Maiduguri is on the Lake-Chad Basin, given its strategic importance not only to Nigeria but to the Lake-Chad Basin Commission nations and the emerging global interest in the Sahel, Sahara and sub-Saharan Africa, which is currently facing environmental and security challenges.

The Department is endowed with trained historians who specialise in different fields of historical enquiry. In terms of research, academics in the Department cover a wide range of scholarship in economic, political, international, social and intellectual history relating to Africa, Europe, Asia and America. Maiduguri Journal of History and Strategic Studies is an academic outlet for scholarship, steered by the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Maiduguri. It publishes scholarly articles by pedagogies, graduate students and enthusiasts from different parts of the country, Africa and beyond.

Historical Timeline

1975

Inheritance from NECAS

The University of Maiduguri inherited the North-East College of Arts and Science (NECAS), establishing a solid foundation with renowned academics from Europe, America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

1975

Establishment of BA Programme

The University provided the Department with the opportunity to start a B.A. (Hons.) degree in History, initially named "Department of African Civilisation and World History".

1979

Name Change to Department of History

The department was renamed to "Department of History", reflecting its broader scope and academic focus on historical studies.

2023

Strategic Studies Integration

The department evolved into "Department of History and Strategic Studies", incorporating strategic analysis to address contemporary security and environmental challenges in the Sahel region.

Research Focus & Academic Contributions

Research Specialization

The Department is endowed with trained historians who specialise in different fields of historical enquiry. In terms of research, academics in the Department cover a wide range of scholarship in:

  • Economic History
  • Political History
  • International History
  • Social History
  • Intellectual History
  • Strategic Studies

Academic Journal

Maiduguri Journal of History and Strategic Studies is an academic outlet for scholarship, steered by the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Maiduguri.

It publishes scholarly articles by pedagogies, graduate students and enthusiasts from different parts of the country, Africa and beyond.

Geographical Focus

The Department's research emphasizes the Lake-Chad Basin, recognizing its strategic importance to Nigeria, the Lake-Chad Basin Commission nations, and global interests in the Sahel, Sahara, and sub-Saharan Africa regions facing environmental and security challenges.

Academic Leadership

Professor Yakubu Mukhtar

Professor of Economic History

Economic History
Professor Ibrahim Maina Waziri

Professor of Economic History

Economic History
Professor Saliba Bahar James

Professor of International History & Diplomacy

Intl. History & Diplomacy

The Department is staffed with 24 academics including Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers, and Lecturers specializing in various historical disciplines.

Continuing Legacy of Excellence

From its humble beginnings as part of NECAS to its current status as the Department of History and Strategic Studies, the department continues to be a center of excellence in historical scholarship, producing graduates equipped with critical thinking skills, research capabilities, and strategic analysis relevant to contemporary challenges.