Mandate universities to patronise French Language Village for immersion programmes, FG told

Educational experts and stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to enforce the mandatory patronisation of the Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV) in Badagry, Lagos.

They argue that strengthening local French immersion programmes is critical to boosting Nigeria’s economy, enhancing regional trade, and curbing capital flight to unaccredited foreign institutions.

The call formed the central resolution of a high-level national stakeholders’ conference. The event, held at the weekend, was well attended by French language lecturers, education administrators, and language experts drawn from various Nigerian universities.

The NFLV is a Federal Government-owned inter-university centre. It serves as a specialised training hub for 300-level university undergraduates studying French, providing them with a mandatory, hands-on language immersion experience.

Speaking at the conference, the Director-General of NFLV, Professor Samuel Kolawole, revealed a worrying trend.

While the Federal Ministry of Education has previously issued directives instructing universities to utilise the Badagry-based Village for mandatory immersion programmes, several institutions continue to bypass it. Instead, they choose to route their students to unrecognised and unaccredited language centres across the border.

“The Nigerian French Language Village was created specifically to provide high-quality immersion programmes for students studying French language,” Professor Kolawole said. “Universities offering French should be encouraged, if not strictly mandated, to send their students here rather than to unrecognized institutions across the border.”

Echoing these serious concerns, the President of the University French Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (UFTAN), Professor Richard Ajah, warned that bypassing local academic infrastructure severely damages both the nation’s academic standing and its financial reserves.

“Encouraging or allowing Nigerian institutions to bypass the French Village in favour of foreign centres amounts to undermining our own national asset. No serious country weakens its own educational institutions in that manner,” Professor Ajah asserted.

A major highlight of the conference was the announcement of a comprehensive overhaul of the institution’s French curriculum to directly serve Nigeria’s economic interests and global reality.

Stakeholders unanimously agreed that French studies must move away from a traditional, narrow focus on literature and grammar toward practical, career-driven skills.

Professor Kolawole revealed that the NFLV is actively reviewing its academic frameworks to align language studies with entrepreneurship and high-growth professional sectors.

“Our objective is not simply to produce graduates who can speak French, but professionals who can use the language as a strategic tool for employment and professional development,” Professor Kolawole explained. “The focus is shifting rapidly toward employability and economic relevance.”

In his own remarks, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Professor Omolegbe Laditan, emphasised that a bilingual workforce unlocks massive economic opportunities. These span vital sectors such as diplomacy, journalism, international relations, tourism, hospitality, and cross-border West African trade.

“The world is changing rapidly, and our academic programmes must evolve accordingly,” Professor Laditan said. “We need diplomats who can communicate effectively in French without relying on interpreters. We need bilingual journalists, technicians, and corporate professionals who can operate confidently in both English and French.”

Also addressing the gathering, the Chairman of the NFLV Governing Council, Alhaji Labiru Kafur, stressed Nigeria’s unique geographical position. Being entirely surrounded by Francophone nations makes French fluency an indispensable tool for West African regional integration and economic dominance. He strongly advocated for a complete harmonisation of university French curricula with the NFLV’s specialised programmes.

To make this transition seamless, the NFLV has already intensified its campus immersion activities. The institution now enforces strict French-only communication rules on campus grounds and organises supervised educational excursions to neighbouring Francophone communities.

Given these institutional upgrades, Professor Laditan urged parents to stop paying exorbitant fees to send their children to unverified foreign immersion programmes. He noted that the NFLV now offers superior, fully accredited training at a fraction of the cost, preserving personal family finances and protecting the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

The conference concluded with a dedicated business session where Heads of French Departments from institutions nationwide brainstormed solutions to remaining institutional bottlenecks.

They strongly urged policy continuity and tighter collaboration between universities and the Federal Government.

To demonstrate the relevance of excellence, the institution rewarded its latest cohort of graduating immersion students who demonstrated exceptional performance in both academics and sports. The rewarded students represented 45 Nigerian universities from across the country.

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A total of 14 students won prestigious awards for achieving the highest results across nine specialised courses, with some students obtaining identical top marks.

Interestingly, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, produced six of the 14 students in that category award.

Additionally, the overall best student from each participating university received individual recognition.

The overall best-performing student of the set, Ibrahim Ahmad Baushe from Abia State University, received the highly coveted star prize.

Meanwhile, the best-performing student, who is an indigene of Badagry Town, received a special community award sponsored by the Badagry Local Government.

The Chairman of the Governing Council, Alhaji Labiru Kafur, and the Director-General of the Village, Professor Samuel Kolawole, expressed immense pride in the resilience, hard work, and good character demonstrated by the students throughout their six months of intensive training.

They warmly congratulated the graduates and urged them to remain focused, studious, and exemplary ambassadors of the Village as they return to their respective home universities to complete their degrees.