Department Chemistry in Brief

The proposal for the establishment of Federal University, Gusau with a Department of Chemistry under the Faculty of Science was approved in February 2013. Thus the Department is one of the pioneer Departments in the Faculty of Sciences of the university.
The formal establishment of the Department, commences with of two academic programmes: B.Sc. Chemistry and B.Sc. Biochemistry.

MISSION

The Department’s mission is to pursue and disseminate knowledge of Chemistry and Biochemistry for the benefit of humanity irrespective of race, creed, religion, nationality or ethnicity; through research, teaching and community service.

VISION

The vision of the Department is to be amongst the foremost Chemistry Departments in Africa and the world through knowledge creation, teaching, community service and collaboration. We want to be recognized both locally and internationally as a Department that produces quality graduates who can compete favorably in terms of employability, academic and research excellence and morality.

Objectives of the Department

  1. To provide qualitative education in Chemistry and Biochemistry
  2. To provide better living conditions and improved human health and welfare through Chemical and biochemical research and community service.
  3. To increase the awareness of the role of Chemistry and Biochemistry in industry, biotechnology and other fields of human endeavour. Also to provide competent manpower to man these areas.
  4. To promote environmental conservation through chemical biochemical education and research.
  5. To partake in the exploration and exploitation of our indigenous natural resources for socioeconomic development.
Nomenclature of Degree in View

The Department shall for now provide three undergraduate academic programs. The nomenclature of the degrees in view shall be Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Chemistry and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) Biochemistry.

Admission Requirements

Programme Admission Requirement Remarks
  UTME Direct Entry  
B.Sc Chemistry Five credits at G.C.E., SSCE, NECO “O” Level (or its equivalent) in Chemistry, English, Physics and/or Mathematics. Two ‘A’ credit passes in Chemistry and any one of Physics, Maths or Biology in that order. Credit passes in NCE and ND. These candidates must have three (3) Credits at “O” level in relevant subjects other than the ones for which the NCE or Diploma was awarded. UTME subjects are: English, Chemistry, Maths and any of Geography, Biology or Physics.
B.sc Biochemistry Five credits at SSCE (or its equivalent) in English, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. At least two ‘A’ level passes in Biology, Botany, and Chemistry or Physics. Credit passes in NCE and ND. UTME subjects are: English, Chemistry, Biology and any other Science subject.

In addition to the requirements above, candidate shall have attained a minimum score of post U.T.M.E examination organised by the Federal University Gusau.

Duration Of Programmes

The minimum duration of both B.Sc. Chemistry and B.Sc. Biochemistry programs is four (4) years for candidates who enter with Senior Secondary School Certificate or GCE ‘0’ Level qualifications or equivalent or through matriculation programme of the university. Direct Entry (DE) candidates will spend a minimum of three years provided that they satisfy all the other University requirements.
Each academic session shall comprise of two semesters and each semester shall last for a period of eighteen (18) weeks comprising of: one (1) week for registration; fifteen (15) weeks for lectures/tutorials/laboratory and studio works; and two (2) weeks for examination. Mid-semester break shall normally be for two (2) weeks.
Students shall be required to complete their studies in not more than one and a half times the normal duration of the programme to qualify for an Honour’s degree, except in cases of ill-health or as determined by Senate. This means about 6 years for our 4-year degrees or 5 years for the DE students.

Courses Classification

  1. Core Courses (CC)
    • Core/Compulsory Courses are courses students must take and pass before graduation. However, a student may be allowed to proceed to the next level of study if he/she failed some Core-Courses, but have earned enough credit units to qualify for the next level. The failed Core -Course will always reflect in the remark column of his/her results as outstanding.
  2. Elective Courses (EL)
    • Elective courses are courses students take base on their areas of specialization and interest. In addition, to the Core- Courses, students are allowed to take these courses to enable them to register for the minimum allowable per semester. However, there are restrictive and un-restrictive electives, depending on areas of specialization and Faculty. Students may consult their academic advisers for guidance in selecting Elective Courses.
  3. Pre-Requisite Courses
    • Pre-requisite courses are those that students must take and pass before registering higher level course(s). However, a student in a graduating class may register for a higher and lower course concurrently, provided that he/she had attempted the lower course once and that the total number of credit units registered in a semester, does not exceed 24.
  4. General Studies Courses (GST)
    • All undergraduate students are required to pass all the General Studies Courses for a total of 8 Credits Units. This must be passed before a degree can be awarded.

Registration

It is the primary responsibility of every student to ensure that he/she is properly registered for a course and for the semester programme. No student would receive credit for a course in which he/she is not properly registered. This is applicable even if the student attended classes and wrote all the examinations prescribed in that course. Students shall normally complete registration for courses for the semester not later than two weeks after the start of semester.
A student cannot withdraw from a course after a one-third of its lectures have been delivered, without permission from the Head of Department. A student who withdraws after this time or who fails to sit for the final examination without reasons acceptable to the Faculty Board, shall be deemed to have failed that course.
Also if a student is properly registered in a course and later dropped the course without notification and proper amendment to his/her registration records, the student would be deemed to have been absent in that examination and would be regarded as having failed in that course; and this will affect the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA).
Students are required to register with Departmental Registration Officer, all elective courses taken outside the Department. The Department would not accept credits earned in electives that were not originally registered in the Departmental registration records. All Registration forms must be signed personally by each student and his/her academic adviser before presenting to Registration Officer. No student can register or sign for another who is not physically present.

The minimum and maximum credit load permissible for full time students of the Federal University, Gusau per student academic session is shown in the table below:

Level Minimum Maximum
100 30 48
200 30 48
300 30 48
400 30 48
Total 120 192

NB:-The minimum number of units excludes carry over courses and the maximum number of units a student can register in a session is 48

SIWES

Industrial attachment is very crucial for all students in Federal University Gusau, including those in the Biological sciences Department. The minimum duration of this training is 6 months (24 weeks, semester plus long vacation).
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) will make our undergraduate training effective, as students will be exposed to various equipment, manufacturing processes and quality control procedures during the attachment. The SIWES is to be conducted under strict supervision and on successful completion of the scheme, it is graded and no students shall graduate without passing it.

Staffs

List of Teaching Staff in Chemistry Department

Name Qualifications Rank Specialty Status
Dr. N.A. Sani B.Sc. M.Sc.(UDUS) M.Sc. (Exeter) Ph.D (UDUS), CASAP (France). Senior Lecturer/HOD Organic Chemistry/Mineral processing Tenure
Prof L.G. Hassan B.Sc. (Unisok), M.Sc. (Unisok), Ph.D (UDUS). Professor Organic Chemistry Sabbatical
Prof. A. I. Tsafe B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (UniIbadan), Ph.D (UDUS). Professor Analytical/Inorganic Visiting
Prof A. Danladi B.Sc. (ABU), M.Sc. Ph.D (ABU). Professor Polymer and textile Sabbatical
Prof. M.S. Sallau B.Sc.M.Sc. (ABU), Ph.D (ABU). Professor Pharm. Chem Visiting
Dr. K.J. Umar B.Sc. M.Sc. Ph.D (UDUS). Reader Organic Chemistry Visiting
Dr. M. A. Funtua B.Sc.M.Sc. (ABU), Ph.D (ABU). Senior Lecturer Analytical/Inorganic Visiting
Dr. Yahaya Alhassan B.Sc. M.Sc. (UDUS), Ph.D (DTU). Senior Lecturer Environmental Tenure
Dr. Ahmad Galadima B.Sc. (BUK), M.Sc. (Aberdeen), Ph.D (Aberdeen). Senior Lecturer Physical Chemistry Tenure
A.M. Lawal B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Wolverhamtom). Lecturer II Environmental Tenure
Nasiru Sharif B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (BUK). Lecturer II Organometallics Tenure
Alaekwe Ikenna Obeora B.Sc. M.Sc. (Unizik). Lecturer II Analytical Chemistry Tenure
Mubarak Danbatta B.Sc. (ABU), M.Sc. (ABU). Lecturer II Organic Chemistry Tenure
MRS Z.M. Idris B.Sc. M.Sc. (UDUS). Lecturer II Physical Chemistry Tenure
Ahmad Bello B.Sc. M.Sc. (UDUS). Assistant Lecturer Inorganic Tenure

List of Teaching Staff in BioChemistry Department

Name Qualifications Rank Specialty Status
Dr. N.A. Sani B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Exeter) Ph.D (UDUS), CASAP France. Senior Lecturer/HOD Organic Chemistry/Mineral Processing Tenure
Prof L.S. Bilbis B.Sc. (UDUS), Ph.D (Essex). Professor Enzymology Visiting
Prof. M.G. Abubakar B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Surrey), Ph.D (Surrey). Professor Toxicology Sabbatical
Prof. R.A. Umar B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Ibadan), Ph.D (UDUS). Professor Food Biochemistry Visiting
Prof. M.J. Ladan B.Sc. (Unisok), M.Sc. (Uniport), Ph.D (UDUS). Professor Carbohydrate Chemistry Sabbatical
Dr. N.A. Garba B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Essex), Ph.D (Coventry). Senior Lecturer Plant Biochemistry Tenure
Dr. M.A. Musa B.Sc.(UDUS),M.Sc. Greenwhich), Ph.D (Greenwhich). Senior Lecturer Clinical Biochemistry Sabbatical
Shehu Abdullahi B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Hamdard), PGDE (N.T.I) Lecturer II Food Biochemistry Tenure
Kabiru Usman B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (OAU) Lecturer II Natural Products Tenure
Ahmad H. Balarabe B.Sc. (UDUS), M.Sc. (Greenwhich). Lecturer II Molecular Biology/Biotechnology Tenure

List of Technologists in Chemistry Department

Name Qualification Rank Duties
Adamu Abubakar ND SLT (Poly B kebbi), HND SLT (Poly Kaura) FSILT (NISLT Ibadan) Chief Technologist Coordinating General Conduct of Laboratory
Hussaini Bello Moriki ND SLT (Poly B kebbi), HND SLT (Poly Kaura)AISLT (NISLT Ibadan) Technologist II Managing laboratory equipment/ General Conduct of Practical
Jamilu Ahmad ND SLT (Poly Kaura), HND SLT (Poly Kaura) Technologist II Managing laboratory equipment/ General Conduct of Practical
Abdulsalam Sulaiman ND SLT (Poly Kaura). Lab Supervisor Managing laboratory equipment/ General Conduct of Practical
Isah Idrisa B.Sc. Chemistry (Unimaid), PGDE (NTI Kaduna) Technologist II On- training
Sulaiman Salihu Muazu SSCE (CIS Gusau) Cleaner Cleaning laboratory glass wares, Benches and surrounding.

List of Non-Teaching Technnical Staff

Name Qualification Rank Duties
Abubakar A. Sani ND SLT(Kadpoly), HND SLT (Kadpoly), FISLT (NISLT Ibadan). Chief Technologist Chief Technologist
Umar Adamu OND SLT (AGP Mafara) HND Biochemistry (Poly Kura), Technologist II Managing laboratory equipment/ General Conduct of Practical
Ibrahim Umar T ND SLT (Poly kaura), HND SLT (Poly Kaura) AISLT (NISLT Ibadan) Technologist II Managing laboratory equipment/ General Conduct of Practical
Nafiu Ibrahim ND SLT (Poly Kaura) Lab Supervisor Assisting in Managing laboratory equipment/ General Conduct of Practical
Eboigbe Ivie Ojo B.Sc. Biochemistry (AAU Ekpoma) Technologist II On- training
Bashar Ibrahim SSCE Lab Attendant Cleaner Cleaning laboratory glass wares, Benches and surrounding.

List of Admin Staff in Chemistry Department

Name Qualification Rank Duties
Murtala Garba Tsafe NCE (FCEZ), B.Ed. (ABUZ), Bed. Social Studies Admin Assistant/Dept Secretary Performs Secretarial duties and Supervised other Admin Staff.
Yushau Saidu NCE (SSCOE, SOK), English/Economics(2012) Executive Officer Performs Departmental Clerical duties. Carry out other duties assigned to him by the Administrative Officer
Maryam Ibrahim ND ( Fed. Pol. Kaduna), Diploma In Business Studies Assistant Executive Officer Performs Departmental Clerical duties. Carry out other duties assigned to him by the Administrative Officer
Murtala Aliyu SSCE ( GASS Zurmi) Cleaner Ensures the cleanliness of the HOD and Staff Offices at all times. Carry out other duties assigned to him by the Administrative Officer

List of Admin Staff in Biochemistry Department

Name Qualification Rank Duties
Aminu Ibrahim B.A. (UDUS), PGDPA (UDUS). Admin Assistant PGDPA Performs Secretarial duties and Supervised other Admin Staff.
Jamilu Abubakar ND(AGP Talata Mafara) Confidential Secretary Record Keeping
Murtala Aliyu SSCE (GASS Zurmi) Cleaner Ensures the cleanliness of the HOD and Staff Offices at all times. Carry out other duties assigned to him by the Administrative Officer