‘We’ve Saved Nigeria Substantial Forex’

The Director-General, Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, Lagos, Professor Samuel Olabanji Aje has said that the language centre has helped save the nation a substantial amount of foreign exchange running into millions that used to be deployed into training Nigerian students of French Language abroad in the past.

The DG made the declaration at a press briefing in Lagos to announce the coming celebration of the Village’s 20 years of existence.

Professor Aje said the village, within the two decades of its existence, has successfully trained over 47,000 Nigerians from different walks of life. This, according to him, is a major milestone for the NFLV, and the centre wants people to share in the pride as they reflect on many of its accomplishments.

“The institution has lived up to its goals and objectives by promoting and propagating the teaching and learning of the French language in Nigeria. The Village is an outstanding innovation, which has become Africa’s flagship in foreign language immersion. We have truly come a long way,” the DG said.

Professor Aje revealed that to celebrate this milestone, the Village has conceived a one-week series of activities in January 2012. The activities include a community service involving the teaching of students of some select secondary schools in Lagos, a public/anniversary lecture, launch of special anniversary publication and award/fund raising/anniversary dinner night.

“Our task is to use all these events to positively project the French Language Village as a great institution that has been able to provide solution to the needs of the nation in the field of French language studies,” Aje explained.