Department of Sociology

Profile of Head of Department
Professor Sam O Smah is Professor of Sociology and specialises in Criminology and Criminal Justice Sociology of law, criminal justice research, drug demand reduction, campus/urban social formations and corruption studies.  He attended LEA Doma/RCM Agyaragu for his primary education, Government Secondary School Mangun for the secondary education, University of Jos for his undergraduate and graduate studies as well as United Nations Institute for Training and Research in Geneva for a certified course on Arbitration and Alternative Conflict Resolution.
Professor Smah’s current research interests are youth life and sexuality, criminal justice, policing, human and drug trafficking, community-university engagement and urban and campus social formations. He teaches courses in sociological theory, methods, criminal justice and urbanisation. His two current research projects are 1. Study on A Social Survey Documentation of the 1960 Independence Celebration by Nigerian Middle Belt Minorities funded by Institute for French Research in Africa (IFRA). March 2010-December 31, 2010 and 2. Team Leader, study on Social Migration and the Transformation of Modern Nigerian Society: Assessment of the Role, Extent and Impact of the University in the Ancient Town of Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria funded by Education Tax Fund Abuja and Nasarawa State university, Keffi
He is a recipient of many awards, including the Honorary Membership of the Research Board of Advisors, The American Bibliographical Institute, North Carolina, USA. Professor Smah holds the Editorship of several journals including the Departmental African Journal of Modern Society, among others. He is Consultant to several organisations within and outside Nigeria and belongs to several professional associations, including the Global Research Management Network, UK.
Contact details:
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nasarawa State University, Keffi
Postal Address: PMB 1022, Keffi-Nasarawa State, Nigeria
E-mail Address: samosmah@yahoo.com, samosmah@gmail.com
Phone numbers: +234 (0) 803 7000 860, +234 (0) 803 864 2226
Brief History of the Sociology Department
Since its establishment in 2001, the Sociology Department and its programme have tried to maintain dynamic and progressive character. In this early year in the life of the Department, when Nigeria herself was barely emerging from decades of military rule both the staff and the programmes of the Department are encouraged to imbibe democratic values. The academic staffs are young and dynamic and this has informed the orientation that reject the production of docile and obedient citizens, by equipping them with relevant knowledge about their physical and socio-economic environment. This orientation towards relevant programmes led to the rejection of some irrelevant anthropological courses in favour of courses in African societies and cultures, politics and economics.
List of units/programmes and their admission requirements

• Undergraduate (B.Sc) Programme: The Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Sociology programme which began with few courses in 2001 offered a total of 56 undergraduate courses. Course offerings are in the major areas of sociology, namely; Sociological Theory, Research Method, Sociology of Development, Criminology, Demography, Urban Sociology, Women Studies, etc.To be admitted into the undergraduate programme, one has to possess 5 O’Level Credits including English Language.
• Postgraduate (M.Sc and PhD) Programme: The Master of Science (M.Sc.) Sociology programme began in 2005/2006 with just 11 students. But as at 2008/2009 session, this number has risen to 23. The programme has three core areas of specialisation, namely; Sociology of Development, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Medical Sociology, and Industrial Sociology/Relations.The requirements for admission into the programme are a) a minimum of undergraduate admission requirements and b) a minimum of Second Class Lower Division (2²).
• Proposed Diploma/Postgraduate Diploma Programmes : Plans are on to host Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma programmes in Social Work for Development, Security and National Development and Arbitration and Conflict Resolution. Admission requirements will be spelt out appropriately.

Staff List

• Professor S O Smah (B.Sc, M.Sc., Ph.D)- Criminology, Criminal Justice  and Sociology of Law
• Dr. K Aliyu (B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD)-Statistics, Demography, Development  Studies, Methods
• Dr. O I Ogbe (B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD/Visiting Associate Professor) – Demography, Social Statistics, Development Studies
• Dr. S B Mohammed (B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD/Visiting Senior Lecturer)- Gender, Sociology of Development, Theory
• Mall. Mohammed Fagge (B.Sc, M.Sc/Visiting Senior Lecturer)- Mass Communication, Gender, religion, Theory
• Mr. T D Lagi (B.Sc, MA)- Social Psychology, Labour Studies, Industrial Sociology
• Mr. F O Onu (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Sociology of Development, Industrial Sociology
• Dr. U C Osisiogu (B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD)- Criminology, Social Relations
• Dr. C T Orisaremi (B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD)- Medical Sociology, Demography, Gender Studies
• Mall. S B Mohammed (B.Sc, MA)- Demography, Populations, Methods
• Mr. A W Ogidi (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Social Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Religion
• Mrs. H James (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Gender, Religion, Sociology of the Family
• Mall U S Umar (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Political Sociology, Sociology of Law, Criminology
• Mr. A P Mangvwat (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Sociology of Health, Political Sociology
• Miss U M.Nnabuenyi (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Industrial Sociology, Theories, Social Inequality
• Mr. L A Nwachi (B.Sc, M.Sc)- Social Stratification, Sociology of Education
• Mr. J Shekwo (B.Sc)- Graduate Trainee