ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The department of Geology was established in 1961, a session after the establishment of the University of Nigeria. It was then domiciled at Enugu Campus but was letter moved to present site of Post Graduate School. When the University started post Graduate programme, the school was to be situated in the site of the Department of Geology which was therefore evaluated to the newly built JIMBAZ Building. In 2006 , Part of the Department moved to the PTDF-donated “WHITE HOUSE” While some staff rooms and Laboratories remained at JIMBAZ. Finally in 2014, the Department was completely moved to the “WHITE HOUSE”
The new Department was first headed by Prof. Mitchel Thome. The lists of Head of Department are as follows;
NAMES OF HEAD OF DEPARTMENT…………………………………………….YEAR OF HEADSHIP
Prof. Mitchel Thome…………………………………………………1961-1962
Prof. Davis……………………………………………………………….962-1970
Prof.S.O Orajaka………………………………………………….…..1970-1973
Prof. M.Hoque…………………………………………………………1973-1967
Prof. S.O. Nwachukwu……………………………………………..1967-1979
Dr .A.B. Uzuakpunwa………………………………………………1979-1982
Prof. .A.C. Onyeagocha…………………………………………….1982-1985
Prof. .IK.N. Ogbukagu……………………………………………..1985-1987
Prof .K.Mosto Onuoha……………………………………………..1987-1990
Prof.A.C Umeji………………………………………………………..1990-1993
Prof.C.O.Okogbue……………………………………………………1993-1998
Prof.M.C.Ezepue……………………………………………………..1998-2002
Prof.K.O.Uma…………………………………………………………2002-2003
Prof.H.I.Ezeigbo………………………………………… ………….2003-2007
Dr.L.I.Mamah…………………………………………………………2007-2009
Dr.A.W.mode………………………………………………………….2009-2011
Prof.C.O.Okgbue……………………………………………………..2011-2012
Prof.(Mrs) O.P.Umeji………………………………………………2012-2015
Dr.Smart C.Obiora………………………………………………….2015-present
The department started with a four year programme with only 7 students as its take off. This number has steadily grown to the present 208 undergraduates.
The members of staff at the inception of the department were only six. To augment the growing need of expertise to handle the programme, the junior Fellowship Scheme was established, whereby the two best graduating final year students were offered the opportunity to be trained abroad and join the academic staff after training. Some of our senior members of academic staff were beneficiary of that scheme. Today, the junior Fellowship Scheme has been replaced by Graduate Assistantship. Growing staff strength saw the establishment of the postgraduate in 1975 with only one candidate enrolling. Today, the Department has a postgraduate enrolment of 100 at the M.Sc and 15 at Ph.D. Levels. The number of academic staff, supporting technical staff and administrative staff has also steadily grown to a total of 29 as given by our estaplishment.
A shell Chair in Geology was endowed to foster research and development in the University in 1994, with Prof.A.C. Umeji as the first shell Professor. The endowment fund was the second professorial chair occupant, which is now vacant . The first term shell chair’s research project was titled “Evolution of the Abakaliki and the Anambra Sedimentary Basins in south-Eastern Nigeria “ produced in a bound report submitted to Shell Petroleum Development Company(SPDC) by Prof.A.C.Umeji
The petroleum Technology Development Fund(PTDF) Chair in Geology was also endowed in 2002 with professor .C.O. Okubgue as the first Chair occupant. He carried out a project titled “Hydrocarbon potentials of the Anambra Basin: Geology, Geochemistry and Geohistory perspectives”. Some of the results of the project were published in the book by Okobgue, C.O(ed)2006, “proceeding of the first seminar organized by the petroleum Technology Development fund(PTDF) Chair in Geology , University of Nigeria ,Nsukka ,May ,12th-14th ,2005. Professor K.M. Onuoha is the current of the PTDF chair occupant. Some 500,000,000,00 endowment from PTDF provided support for the construction of a new Department Building (WHITE HOUSE), Equipment , scholarship to students and supported research as well as upgraded teaching facilities.
Department of Geology, UNN after inspecting all its facilities which were considered adequate for next four years and accorded the Department, A center of Excellence in Geology. The council of the Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society(NMGS) reaffirmed the accreditation of the Department by NUC after appraising the Petroleum Technology Development Fund facilities in the Department of Geology which included a new state of the art Department building with modern facilities such as 3 classroom with capacities of sitting 60 students each , a seminar room with capacity of sitting 70 students, a board/conference room and four preparatory/research laboratories equipped with non-functional ultraviolet spectrometers, atomic absorption spectrometers, gas ghromagraphy, XRF spectrometer, petrographic microscopes, and computers, to mention a few.