BRIEF HISTORY OF BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI.

The Benue State University Project was first conceived in the late 1970s by the first Executive civilian Governor His Excellency Late Mr. Aper Aku. The idea was however translated into physical project during the regime of Governor Fidelis Maka, the University was made real by the second civilian Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Late Rv. Fr. Moses O. Adasu, who inaugurated a 13 member steering committee charged with the responsibility to plan, seek for and obtain approval from the federal government for Benue State to run its own university. The approval was subsequently granted, in 1992 and on Monday 15th February 1993, Benue state University started her academic activities, commissioned by the visitor to the University, His Excellency Late Rv. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu, and Professor Charles Vajime become the first Vice Chancellor of the institution. Among the objectives of establishing this state university was to provide opportunity to citizens of Benue State for her education, it was also to identify and develop manpower that will meet the specific needs of the state, there was also a need to promote, preserve and propagate the socio economic and cultural heritage of the diverse people of the state through research and consultancy. It was also established to encourage and promote advancement of learning and to hold out to all persons without discrimination of race, creed or political conviction.

BSU at inception operated five (5) faculties:

1. Faculty of Management and social Sciences
2. Faculty of Arts
3. Faculty of Law
4. Faculty of Sciences
5. Faculty of Education

There were a total of 17 departments in these faculties, currently the faculties in the university have increased: the faculty of management / social sciences has separated into two distinct major faculties. Also the faculty of which came onboard in 2004, the college of health science. The academic programs of the university are divided into 4: the degree, the sub degree, the remedial program and the post graduate program. The university has graduated several set of students.

By inception, BSU inherited a lot of infrastructural buildings, most of these from past institutions; some of these structures were inherited from the federal university of agriculture makurdi which temporarily operated here. Other structure inherited includes those from Government girls’ college, makurdi and government day secondary school which has been relocated. The government technical college is still in the premises of the University and may not be relocated.

The University also houses a staff primary school to cater for the children in and around the University. There is also a clinic that carter for the health needs of the university community. The University occupies a land mass of approx. four square kilometers along Makurdi/Gboko road, bordered on the north by River Benue which it derives its source of water with an independent water purifying plant. BSU is the first state owned University in northern Nigeria. BSU at inception had a total enrollment of about 306 students, presently the students population has grown approximately to over 20, 000 constituting students of the pre degree, degree, remedial and the post graduate students. To this end, the first female Vice Chancellor of the University Professor Charity Angya on assumption of office, speaks of the school both structurally, and the number of students and staff strength. BSU partners with donor agencies like ETF, PTDF, ALGON for intervention in providing infrastructure especially buildings, lecture halls, staff offices for the University.

Administratively, the university runs democratic and appointed positions: the head of the University which is the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar, followed by the DVC Admin, DVC Academics and the Deans of all the faculties in the institution. Of all the positions mentioned, the VC and the Registrar are appointed by the visitor to the University the Executive Governor of the Benue State, the VC appoints the Deputy Vice chancellors, HODs and the Deans of student affairs and the PG School, positions of Deans in various faculties are achieved through elections organized by the congress of colleges and congregation staff meetings respectively.