French Embassy to establish resource centre in FULafia

The Government of France will, through its Embassy in Nigeria, establish an Alliance Francoise resource centre in the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia).

The centre, to be equipped with internet and other French language facilities, would be housed by the Department of French in FULafia.

When established, the centre is expected to provide teachers and students with new learning and research resources with a view to deepening and developing the French language in Nigeria.

Mr. Edward Precious, the representative of the French Embassy and Director Centre for French Training and Documentation (CFTD), stated these during the maiden workshop training for French lecturers which recently took place at the Faculty of Arts in FULafia.

The workshop was declared open by the Vice-Chancellor of FULafia, Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman.

The training workshop was organised to train 15 selected lecturers from the 19 states of the North of Nigeria.

Commending the vice-chancellor for hosting the workshop, Edward said: “Our expectation on FULafia is very high because of the leading role it plays in French studies.”

In his address Abdul Rahman said that “training and retraining of staff are cardinal objectives” of his administration, pointing out that without that knowledge would be stagnant and development hampered.

He thanked the French Embassy for its support to the University, saying that the gesture would open FULafia to the world.

Abdul Rahman commended the CFTD and the FULafia French Department for organising the successful workshop, saying that the University would support the department in the process of realisation of the soon-to-be established centre.

Abdul Rahman reminded the gathering that, recently, “the University signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Zindar, in the Republic of Niger, to raise the quality of our staff in the University.”

In his remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Okpe Okpe, said that with the support given by the vice-chancellor to the faculty and with the coming of the centre to the French Department, the students of FULafia would be the greatest beneficiaries.

He assured the vice-chancellor of the faculty’s support and commitment to achieve his vision and mission of making FULafia one of the five best Universities in Africa.

Also, in his speech, the Director, Linkage and Advancement, FULafia, Prof. Malam Al-Bishak, said that his directorate was working with the departments of English, Arabic and French languages to make the University attract international status through the production of signposts, souvenirs, T-shirts and other items with inscriptions from the three international languages.

In her welcome address, the Head of French Department, Dr. Mrs. Obetin Marcy, charged the lecturers to take advantage of the training and impact on the students, pointing out that the University, under Prof. Shehu Abdul Rahman, was committed to the teaching and learning of French language in FULafia.

She commended the representative of the French Embassy for the partnership, assuring the Embassy of the University’s support.