UPDATE: Nigerian Government moves to make French the second official language

Nigeria’s minister of state for education, Professor Anthony Anwukah has stated that French language is now compulsory in Nigerian institutions. The minister said the students from primary to tertiary institutions will embark on intensive training of more French teachers in order to make sure this new development is effective and become Nigeria’s second official language.

Prof. Anwukah who spoke in Abuja earlier this year 2016, when the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gaver, paid him a courtesy call, said: “French language is a matter of necessity. We have to because we have Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Benin Republic, Togo Guinea, and Ivory Coast surrounding us and so there is need for us to get more Nigerians to become proficient in French language."

“This is good for the continent; it is good for us as a nation. It is good for our brothers at the borders because it will enable us to communicate with them effectively.” 

He also added during the speech, that, “we plead that you consider it a lot more expedient in helping us train our teachers in French both for the primary school level, secondary level and tertiary level. 

“So far, we have demonstrated the enthusiasm to foster the teaching and learning of French in Nigerian schools which are the tertiary, basic and secondary levels and our main concern now is the training of sufficient number of French teachers within our school system.” 

During the visit, Anwukah flagged off the French Clinic Project at the Federal Government Boys College Apo, Abuja. “The ministry is geared towards establishing French clinics in 104 government colleges, unity schools. “

We are keen and motivated by the need to actualise our dream of making French language our second language of business in Nigeria. “The clinic is expected to improve the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills of students. “It is expected that with these skills, our students will fare better in their examinations and in the world of worth,” he stated after the commissioning.

Interestingly enough, about a year ago, there was a report that the Lagos state commissioner for education reportedly mandated the state to inculcate Chinese as another language in state-owned schools.

Credit: Ventures Africa // Naija.com