The Department of History was established in 2006 at the take-off of the Yobe State University, Damaturu. The Department started with the B. A. History programme in the 2009/2010 Academic Session. The Department took off with four pioneer permanent staff; Mrs. Aisha Ibrahim Ningi, Mallam Lawan Jafaru, Mallam Muhammed Ibrahim Bare and late Mallam Bakura A. Adam. In addition, visiting lecturers, particularly from University of Maiduguri, were engaged to deliver lectures to supplement the missing gap of staff strength at the Department. Those engaged were Prof. Yakubu Muktar, Prof. Ibrahim Maina Waziri, Prof. Saliba B. James and late Associate Professor Abubakar Garba. Later from the same University of Maiduguri, Dr. Mohammed Sani Imam, now a Professor, and Dr, Ibrahim A. Modu were employed as visiting lecturers. Similarly, Dr. Lawan Abdullahi Isa from Bayero University Kano came as a visitor and Dr. Anshul Bajpai from India took contract appointment with the University and was subsequently sent to the Department as Senior Lecturer of International History. Recently Dr Umar Alhaji Bako from University of Maiduguri took visiting appointment.
The major philosophy of History, which distinguished it from other humanities and Social Sciences, consists of the attempts of human beings in the past to organize life materially and conceptually, individually and collectively. In other words, the Philosophy of the programme is to expose students to higher academic and intellectual levels of abstraction and discourse on matters of historical studies with a view to enable them benefit the contemporary human societies with the experiences of earlier generation.
The Department of History Yobe State University has two modes of admission i.e. admission into 100 level and admission into 200 level.
The objectives are to: i, widen students� experience and develop qualities of perception and judgment. ii, give students a thorough understanding of Nigerian history and historiography planted firmly in the context of African history and historiography. iii, educate students on historical movements of global importance from other continents to enable them acquire better knowledge of the world and thus promote world peace. iv, make students comprehend the historical forces and developments, which have shaped and are still shaping the lives of the peoples of Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. v, develop a sense of commitment and capacity to consciously relate to these forces and developments in such a way that Nigerian and African unity, independence and prosperity can be achieved. vi, provide the students with advantages usually associated with historical training, viz: critical and analytical faculty and balanced judgement needed particularly in administrative and managerial responsibilities.