[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Introduction
The Department of Political Science and Public Administration is of the College of Arts and Social Sciences of the University. It is one of the foundational departments in the University. Indeed, it was established in 1999 with undergraduate programs that had robust academic curriculum in all the subfields of Political Science, viz Comparative Politics, Public Administration, International Relations and Political Theory. It should be noted that the Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies was later created from the Department to boost student enrollment in the College.
The Department commenced postgraduate programs in phases as the PGD and Masters took off in 2008 after successful Resource Verification Exercise (RVE) by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and PhD Degree in 2009 with options in Comparative Politics, Pubic Administration and Political Theory.
As a foundational department, the Department of Political Science and Public Administration graduated its first set of Bachelor’s Degrees in 2004 and as at date, the Department has produced a total of one thousand one hundred and ninety-four (1194) graduates with current population standing at fifty-four (54). Our first set of PGD and Masters graduates were produced in 2009 and between then and now, the Department has produced nineteen (19) PGD and one hundred and ten (110) Masters graduates with current population in the two streams standing at eighteen (18). Also, our flourishing PhD program produced the first graduate in 2012 in person of Dr. Kenny Enojo and as at date, we have graduated eighteen (18) and currently has twenty-two (22) at different stages of the program.
On the staff strength, the department is one of the well-endowed with sufficient staff distribution having seven (7) full time staff and two (2) adjunct to complement and these staff include two full professors, one Associate Professor as an adjunct and two Senior Lecturers, two Lecturers I, one Lecturer II and an Assistant Lecturer.
Aside its primary responsibility of teaching students that are major in the discipline of Political Science and its sub-disciplines, the department serves some other colleges/departments of the university and in particular the College of Law, College of Business and Management Studies, the Department of Nursing Science and the General Studies Unit (GST).
Objectives
The broad objectives of the Department are to:
- Join the University management in ensuring a supportive environment for academic learning at high standards;
- Provide a high-quality Social Science discipline, B.Sc Degree in Political Science and Public Administration that covers comparative politics, international relations, public administration and political theory;
- Run a comprehensive Masters Degree program in Political Science covering areas of specialization in Comparative Politics, Public Administration, International Relations and Political Theory geared towards students who plan to pursue postgraduate studies as well as those that seek terminal degrees.
- Give elaborate support for high quality research in a variety of areas of interest especially in the Social Sciences to individual department/college members as well as participation in multi-university and interdisciplinary research projects within and outside the University.
- Attract research funds and grants, locally and internationally, and explore other means of legitimate collaboration towards the advancement of learning and research in the Department and beyond.
STAFFING:
1. Babatunde Agara, Ph.D. BA (Ife); M.Sc, Ph.D (Benin)
Area of specialisation/interest: Public Administration and Strategic Studies
Position/Status: Professor
2. Akande Adeolu, PhD. B.Sc (Ibadan); M.Sc, Ph.D (Ibadan)
Area of specialisation/interest: Comparative Politics
Position/Status: Professor
3. Adesoye Mustapha, Ph.D. BA (Ife); M.Sc, Ph.D (Benin)
Area of specialisation: Public Administration
Position/Status: Associate Professor (adjunct)
4. Adekunle .S Ajisebiyawo, B.Sc (Ibadan), M.Sc (Ibadan), PhD (Okada)
Area of specialization: Comparative Politics and Development Studies
Position/Status: Senior Lecturer
5. Isiaih Osifo, PhD. B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD (Benin)
Area of Specialization: Public Policy and Local Government Studies
Position/Status: Senior Lecturer (adjunct)
6. Collins Okonkwo, PhD. B.Sc (Ilisan), M.Sc (Coventry, UK), PhD (Okada)
Area of Specialization: Public Administration and International Relations
Position/Status: Lecturer I
7. Morris Edogiawerie, B.Sc (Ibadan), M.Sc (Okada)
Area of Specialization: Political Theory
Position/Status: Lecturer I
8. Alexander Dike, BA, M.A (Okada)
Area of Specialization: Political Theory
Position/Status: Asst Lecturer
9. Joseph Afekuro, B.Sc, M.Sc (Okada)
Area of Specialization: Public Administration
Position/Status: Asst Lecturer
Location, Office and Lecture spaces & Equipment
The Department occupies an area space measuring 50X80 diameters on the first floor of back building to the College of Law lecture rooms, the section opposite the Administrative Block of the Oba Erediuwa College of Law, and the space comprise of;
- One office space for the Head of Department equipped with moderate furniture, a computer system and set of television attached to cable system and eight book shelves
- Nine office spaces for lecturers with minimum furniture that includes 3 chairs, 1 table and one book shelve each with standing fans.
- One library space stocked with books from Department’s acquisitions and personal donations
- One Postgraduate Seminar room equipped with chairs, writing board, cooling system.
- Two lecture rooms of 80 sitting capacity each located at the main College Building on the North-western axis of the ground floor.
Academic Curriculum
The Department key in completely to the academic calendar of the University, and maximize the utilization of time allotted to lectures and examination on semester basis both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Set Skills/Vocational Training for Students
Our students are groomed for the relevance in the contemporary labour market through our mentoring and vocational programs that includes;
- Enrolment in certificate courses with the Nigerian Institute of Management, Lagos (NIM)
- Enrollment in certificate courses in the National Institute of Legislative Studies, Abuja (NILS)
- Industrial training with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos
- Enrolment in certification programs with the British Council, Lagos
- Industrial trainings at Federal and State Ministries and Government Parastatals
- Enrollment in trainee programs with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE)
- Industrial trainings with private sector organizations including political parties, media outfits, telecommunications companies, educational institutions, oil companies etc. in reference to administration, policy engineering, public communication and personal management in them.
Accreditation
The Department runs fully accredited programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Research
The Department in addition to close supervision of students projects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, collaborates with postgraduate students to embark on field research on timely basis. Therefore, the Department has a three standing research teams that works on specific research interest with membership drawn across staff and postgraduate students.
Research Team Team Leader Research Interest Duration
Research Team 1 Prof. Babatunde Agara – Voter Aparthy in Edo State 12 months
Research Team 2 Dr. Adesoye Mustapha – Herdsmen-farmers conflict 12 months
Research Team 3 Dr. Collins Okonkwo – Drug addictions amongst students 6 months
Disciplinary Cases
All disciplinary cases involving students of the Department were handled by the Students’ Disciplinary Committee in the Department and where such acts of indiscipline violate matriculation oath, such cases are promptly referred to the University’s Student’s Disciplinary Committee.
Strategic Plans
- The Department continue to embark on student mobilization into all its programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
- The Department is stepping up its effort at motivating staff towards self-development.
- The Department intensifies efforts towards elaborate extra-academic activities such as hosting inter-disciplinary and inter-university symposia, public lectures, seminar series and public debates.
- The Department continue to facilitate broader student-staff relationship so as to strengthen the environment of learning and propagation of the University’s foundational vision and mission-objectives.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]