History of Department of Biochemistry

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture formerly Federal University of Agriculture was established in 1993. Following the creation of Universities of Agriculture in 1991 Ediet No 48 of the Federal Government of Nigeria.  The B.Sc. Biochemistry started in the Department of Chemical Sciences in November, 1998 Regular classes started on 15th January 1999 with the first batch of ten students.  Course instruction started with two full time academic staff members,   Prof. O.C. Ohaeri then a Senior Lecturer and Mr Pipi a graduate assistant Prof.. E. I. Akubugwo was then on visiting capacity.

In 2001 Prof.. Ifeoma Irene Ijeh a Senior lecturer and Prof. P.N. Okafor a Senior Lecturer joined the Department as full time academic staff.  Also in the same year Mr. J. Okwo and Mr. E.C. Nwaiwu both senior Technologist were employed.  Mrs. C.C. Onwukwe and Mr. Uchenna Ariwa were employed as Senior Lab assistant and Lab Attendant respectively.  Professor O.U. Njoku of UNN did a sabbatical with the Department in the 2003/2004 session.

The Department was upgraded to the status of an independent Department in 2004 following which it had an NUC accreditation visitation in June 2005 and was granted interim accreditation status.  In 2007, NUC accreditation team granted the department full accreditation.

The Department has actively participated in all the activities of the Nigerian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  It successfully hosted the 4th Annual Zonal Symposium of the Society held on 8th June 2006.  The symposium was attended by over 50 lecturers and 200 students from across the south East Zone.

The Department has since grown from an initial Academic Staff strength of Nine to Twenty Five, all are full-time staff.  The Department has 5 Professors. All are on full time appointment, One Associate professor, 4 Senior Lecturers, 3 Lecturers II, 8 Assistant Lecturers and 4 Graduate Assistants.  The Department had been headed by several eminent lecturers, Prof. Yusuf Ndukaku Omeh as the current head of the department.