The Department of Guidance and Counselling was established as a full-fledged academic unit in the 1989/90 session, following the Senate approval of its undergraduate programme. Its roots, however, date back to the 1986/87 session when postgraduate programmes in Guidance and Counselling were introduced within the Faculty of Education. The Department was founded to meet the growing national demand for trained guidance counsellors in line with Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 educational policy, with its first set of undergraduate students admitted in the 1990/91 academic session.

Over the years, the Department has been shaped by distinguished scholars, beginning with the foundational leadership of the late Prof. I. O. Makinde. It has continued to grow in scope and relevance, including the incorporation of the Childhood Education Programme following the Faculty restructuring in 2015. Today, under the leadership of Prof. F. O. Ibimiluyi, the Department remains committed to excellence in teaching, research, and community service, preparing professionals equipped to address educational, vocational, and psychosocial needs in society.