FULafia ‘ll use French Centre for what it’s meant for, says Abdul Rahman

Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman, the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), has stressed the need for collaboration between the University and French Embassy in Nigeria to develop and promote French language in FULafia.

The vice-chancellor spoke during the commissioning of the FULafia French Resource Centre.

The centre, domiciled at the Department of French, was donated to the University by the French Government, through its embassy in Nigeria.

The newly established centre in FULafia was the fourth of its kind in Nigeria.

The other centres established by the French Government includes, the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos and Bayero University, Kano,

According to Abdul Rahman, citing the resources centre at FULafia would aid teaching of French language and boost profile of the University.

The event took place at the Faculty of Arts in the Permanent Site Campus of the University, where the centre was located.

Abdul Rahman, while commending the embassy for donating the centre, promised to utilise the centre effectively, saying: “The University will maintain centre to maximise benefits of the opportunities it provides.”

While commending the Faculty of Arts for maintaining good relationships that led to attraction of the centre, the vice-chancellor said “this is a sign that the faculty staff are ready to promote their own faculty and the University.”

Abdul Rahman called on the staff of FULafia French Department to make good use of the resources centre, encouraging them to work harder to put the faculty on the global map.

He advised other faculties to emulate the good works of the Faculty of Arts and Department French through working for the realisation of the core values of the University, namely, integrity, innovation and excellence.

In his address, Mr Edward Precious, the Representative of the French Embassy and Director, Centre for French Training and Documentation (CFTD), said that the commitment of the FULafia French Department to the teaching and promotion of the French language did not go unnoticed by the French Embassy thereby made the embassy to donate the centre.

While commending the vice-chancellor for his efforts to develop the University, Edward Precious said that the embassy has urged the University to use the centre for only French education related activities.

In their separate speeches, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Okpe I. Okpe, the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Samson Dugga as well as Prof. Al-Bishak, the Director of Linkages and Advancement, all commended the French Embassy for fulfiling its promise to develop the French studies in the institution.

They thanked the vice-chancellor for the support he gave to the centre, assuring him that they would work harder to help the University achieve its dream.

Dr Iliya Kent, a senior lecturer at the French Department and facilitator of the centre, said that the centre would serve as the training ground for lecturers in northern Nigeria and help students master French language in the institution.

The Head of Department of French, Prof. Mercy Obeten, while thanking the French Embassy for supporting the department with establishment of the resources centre, she revealed that the department has produced the winner of the recent French students competition held in Badagry, Lagos.

She thanked the vice-chancellor and other key players who made the dream of having the resources centre in FULafia realisable.