: . HISTORY
PURE AND INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY
The Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry of Nnamdi Azikiwe University situated at Awka, Anambra State came into existence under the former Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH) as Industrial Chemistry Department. After the Demerging of the Enugu and Awka Campuses of ASUTECH in 1986, then a full fledged Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry was established at Awka under the Headship of Prof. I.O.C. Ekejiuba. At that time the academic staff strength was six and the student number was one hundred and fifty (150). By 1992 after the creation of states, the Department gained more qualified staff came down from the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu (IMT). The Head of Department then was Dr. L.O. Ezenweke and the academic staff strength was eight (8) with one Professor, four Senior Lecturers and three Lecturers I. The student number was about two hundred (200).
Between 1994 and 1997, Prof. A.N. Eboatu was the Head of Department and the academic staff was eleven (11). On the whole there were twenty-two (22) members of staff including Senior and Junior Administrative staff, Technologists and Technical staff. The student number had risen to about three hundred (300).
Between 1997 and 1999, Prof. Ekejiuba became the Head of Department. Between 1999 and 2002 Prof. Eboatu was the Head of Department. Under his Headship, the Department grew with increased staff fifteen (15), both academic and non-academic. The Department gained full accreditation in February 1999.
Between 2002 and 2005, Prof. M.U. Akpuaka became the Head of Department. Under her Headship, the staff strength was twenty-seven (27) while the number of students rose to four hundred (400).
During this period, the Department enjoyed the NUC’s Direct Teaching and Laboratory Cost (DTLC) funds. This enabled the Department to improve tremendously with respect to Teaching, Practical Courses, Project research, and general efficient running of the Department. The Department services other Departments and Faculties in the University especially at the first, second and third levels, this explains the large number of students at these levels in the Department.
Professor M.U. Akpuaka continued with the headship of the Department upto the year 2005. Between 2006 and 2008, Professor P.A.C. Okoye was the Head of the Department. The Departmental student’s number increased to four hundred and fifty (450). Due to quota allocation by NUC, this number has been reduced to three hundred and fourteen (314) with the years 2008.
Dr. T.U. Onuegbu acted as the head for the year 2008/2009 session. Professor P.A.C Okoye headed in 2010 and became the Dean of Faculty of Physical Sciences because the Faculty of Physical Sciences was created out of Natural Science.
Professor Ajiwe continued as the Head of Department from 2010 to 2014. Prof. T.U. Onuegbu took over the headship from Professor V.I.E. Ajiwe till date. Currently the total number of Students in the Department is 412. The Department is also lucky to have employed Prof. Ikenna Onyido who is vast in research and administration as a former Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike.