BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT

University of Nigeria, Nsukka started as a degree awarding institution in 1960, with very few faculties and departments. In 1963, Crowther College of Theology which later assumed the nomenclature of Department of Christian Religious Studies, and now Department of Religion and Cultural Studies was founded, and in keeping with the philosophy of the University, remains domiciled to the Faculty of the Social Sciences. This early beginning was characterised by the dominance of expatriates who doubled as both founders and heads of departments. Most of the founders were British as well as American scholars, who accompanied the colonial masters with a view to colonising the West African sub-region, and the development of academic enterprise. They offered different courses, and among the courses taught were classics.

From 1967, when the first admitted candidates were to be graduated, the Nigerian British civil war broke out and lasted for about thirty (30) months. After the apparent yawning gap, the first set of graduates came up in 1970. From this period onwards, there was a growth in African scholarship, which gradually started edging out expatriate scholars, and consequently, the dominance of African scholarship. These scholars therefore, through some indigenization policies, began to think inwards and developed a comprehensible curriculum that will meet up with the desires of the people. This led to the emphasis on Christian Religious Studies, interfaced and interwoven with courses on not just indigenization but Africanization. This was, however, motivated by the spirit of nationalism /African consciousness, which later paved way for independence of most West African countries. Within this period of the emergence of African scholars, the leadership in the Department dramatically transited to African scholars. The Department of Religion housed Philosophy and Political Science Departments; with time, Philosophy became a full department in 1981. When Msgr. S. N. Ezeanya became Head of Department, Dr. Okadigbo resisted being under a Head of Department who specialized in Religion. With the passage of time and years, Political Science also became a full department.

The Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, as it is known today, borders on the application of religious truth to the environment. It is concerned with the religious behaviours of man in the society. Religion is studied in three domains of its expression in Nigeria viz: Judeo-Christian, African and Islamic. The Department of Religion offers a B.A degree with emphasis in any two of the five stress areas. It also offers Postgraduate degrees at Masters and Doctorate levels with emphasis on Christian Religious Studies. It became one of the service units in offering courses for regular and sandwich B.Ed. degree programmes in Education/ Religion. The Department also offers Combined Honours degree, with options in the following areas: Religion and Cultural Studies/ Archaeology and Tourism, Religion and Cultural Studies/ English & Literary Studies, Religion and Cultural Studies/ History & International Relations, Religion and Cultural Studies/ Public Administration & Local Government, Religion and Cultural Studies/ Social Work, Religion and Cultural Studies/ Sociology & Anthropology. It should also be noted that the Department offered a two-year undergraduate diploma in Religious Studies, which was stopped in 2005.
Some theological institutions are affiliated to the Department namely: Trinity Theological College, Umuahia; West African Theological Seminary, Lagos; and Spiritan International School of Theology, Attakwu, Enugu. The quality and number of both teaching and non-teaching staff have also considerably improved to meet the growing demands of the Department. Below is the list of the Heads of the Department and their duration of service:

1960- 1967 Andrew Walls
1970 – 1973 Rev. Can. E.C.O. Ileogu
1974 – 1978 Msgr. S. N. Ezeanya
1980 – 1984 Rev. Dr. M.E. Glasswell
1984 – 1986 Prof. O. U. Kalu
1986 – 1989 Rev. Fr. Dr. J. Ojiako
1989 – 1991 Rev. Can. Dr. G. E. Okeke
1991 – 1994 Rev. Fr. Dr. E. I. Ifesieh
1994 – 1998 Rev. Dr. E. N. Onwu
1998 – 2000 Dr. S. O. Onyeidu
2000 – 2003 Rev. Fr. Dr. A. N. O. Ekwunife
2003 – 2005 Dr. M. I. Okwueze
2005 – 2007 Rev. Dr. A.U. Agha
2007 – 2009 Dr. C. O. T. Ugwu
2009 – 2011 Rev. Fr. Dr. H.C. Achunike
2011 – 2013 Rev. Dr. E. A. Ituma
2013 – 2016 Rev. Fr. Prof. H.C. Achunike
2016 – 2019 Prof. C.O.T. Ugwu
2019 – 2021 Ven. Dr. B. C. Diara
2021 – Rev. Sr. Dr. Mary Jerome Obiorah

Written by Dr. Onyekachi G. Chukwuma