Stakeholders have advocated for incentive for French learning in Nigeria to unlock more socio-economic opportunities.
The call came at the Out session of 2024/25 French Competence Summer held at Alliance Franciase, Iyaganku, Ibadan on Thursday.
Speaking, Director, Alliance Franciase, Ibadan, Mrs Olaide Turner-Moyet said French is the second most spoken foreign language in Nigeria, called for more enabling environment for its learning and socio-interactionalism.
She noted that there is a need for support for visibility, accessibility for French Learning in Nigeria, even among civil servants, school students, social workers, artisans, and traders so as to enable global competitiveness.
In his contribution, Alliance Franciase French facilitator and assistant lecturer at the department of European Studies, University of Ibadan, Mr. Shadrack Afolabi Bamidele who commended the centre for developing French speaking skills as recognized by the Nigerian government by making sure the learners learn the rudiments, conversational skills, said learning French helps any learner to fit in to international economy structures.
In their separate reaction, French learners at the Centre, Blessing Ojo, described her French Summer Class too experientially touchy saying she had the opportunities to directly interface with French speakers.
She urged the Nigerian government to place premium on learning French competitively as English in Nigeria to increase citizens international participation.
Meanwhile, Oreofe Ayansola, called the federal government to give rise to French learning, seminars, scholarship and collaboration with foreign organizations, particularly, French countries as to encourage local learners break social disparities in Anglophone countries such as Nigeria, and unlock economic challenges towards improving revenues and contributions by local French learners.
The session featured poem, music, drama, souvenir presentation in standard French and facility tour, among others.
