BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
Music Department, Federal College of Education, Okene was one of the few departments that took off academic works when Federal Advanced Teachers Colleges Okene(FATCO) was established. This came to being when the Federal Government of Nigeria was the need for manpower in the education sector. In 1974 the government took a bold step to establish advanced teacher’s college referred to as Federal Advanced Teachers College in various geopolitical zones of Nigerian in which that of Okene was one. Its establishment was to turn out ‘manpower’ for our primary schools in the country, as earlier mentioned. The college however later became “Federal College of Education, Okene,’ as the need arose.
The department was manned by only one man, Mr. Agonmah, J. he served between 1974 and 1981 before Mr. Victor Nicholas Agbenu joined him. Not sooner Mr. Agbenu joined the department than Mr. Agonmah retired from active service and the department became a one-man department again.
The initial take-off population of students was 24. There was a gradual increase in the students’ population between 1974 and 1987. By 1987 the student population has risen to 100 and the need for manpower in the department became more compelling than ever before. Mr. Solomon Ikibe(now a university professor) and Miss Chinwe Karaoha (a Corper) were added to the workforce of the Department as lecturers. By 1988 Miss Chinwe Karaoha the corper was offered appointment after her meritorious national service. She only worked in the Department for an academic session and left in June 1989. In November 1989, another graduate staff, Mr. Udensi, Johnson Kalu, was employed to replace Chinwe and the number of staff again increased to 3. By 1992, the head of Department, Victor Agbenu, left Nigeria to his country (Ghana). The department again was left in the hand of two lecturers who laboured assiduously to keep up with the challenge of rigorous academic activities and social engagements both inside and outside the college. In 1993 Mr. Christian Nwaneri Joined as a lecturer, the duo of Christopher Omotoso and Felix Oyaigbevwen were employed as instructors being alumni of the department.
Between 1994 and 1995, Peter Odogbo and Sakpore Nelly, were added to the workforce bringing the total number of staff to 7 (seven). Earlier in 1993, the department has started double major programme which made the admission swelled and the students’ population has increased to 180. two more courses – social studies (SOS) and Primary Education Studies (PES) – were added to the Single Major courses and more Musical equipment were also purchased for the Department. In 1996, two (2) lecturers, Sakpore Nelly and Peter Odogbo, left the department and the teacher-student ratio became high as the staff strength returned to 5. But between 1996 and 2006, the following joined the department as lecturers: Mr. H.N. Uzoma (1997), as Godwin Ogli (1999), Ekunwale, AJ., (2005) Titus, S.O. (2005), Abdullahi, N.A. (2006), Okonmah ). (2006). Also, the students’ population began to increase tremendously. In 2002, Mr. Tube, Solomon also left for the University of Ilorin. Ogli, G.E., Titus, S.O. and Okonma, J.L. were no more in the department. The department is left with nine (9) lecturers including Mr. Joseph Friday Alegbeleye was added to the workforce of the department in 2019.
Headship of the Department: 1974 – 2019
The Department had been headed by a good number of staff from 1974 to 2019. See table below:
|
S/No |
Name |
Highest Qualification |
Period of Time (Tenure) |
Office
|
|
1. |
Agommo, I |
B.A. (Music) |
1974 – 1982 |
HOD. Music |
|
2. |
Agbenu, Victor B.A. (Music) |
B.A. (Music) |
1982 – 1992
|
HOD, Music
|
|
3. |
Ikibe, Solomon |
B.A. (Music) |
1992 – 1996
|
Ag.HOD Music |
|
4. |
Udensi, J.K. |
B.A. (Music) |
1996 – 1998
|
Ag.HOD Music |
|
5. |
Ikibe, Solomon |
M.A. (Music) |
1998 – 2000 |
HOD, Music |
|
6. |
Udensi, J.K. |
B.A. (Music) & M.Ed. (Edu. Adm) |
2000 – 2002 |
Ag.HOD Music |
|
7. |
Nwaneri, C.M. |
B.A. (Music) & PGDE |
2000 – 2002 |
Ag.HOD Music |
|
8. |
Ogli, Godwin |
M.A. (Music) |
2002 – 2004 |
Ag.HOD Music |
|
9. |
Udensi, J.K |
. M.A. (Music) & M.Ed. (Edu. Adm.) |
2005 – 2008 |
HOD, Music |
|
10. |
Nwaneri, C.M.
|
M.A. (Mus), PhD (in view) |
2008 – 2012 |
HOD, Music |
|
11. |
Dr.Ogli, G.E. |
PhD, M.A., B.A., NCE |
2012 – 2014 |
HOD, Music |
|
12. |
Uzoma, H.N. |
M.A., B.A. |
2014 – 2018 |
HOD, Music |
|
13. |
Omotoso, C.O. |
M.A., B.A. (Ed), N.C.E. |
2018 till Date |
HOD, Music |