A former Deputy Head of the Nigerian Mission in Paris, Ambassador Benedict Adejinle, said on Wednesday that President Emmanuel Macron of France earnestly wants more Nigerians to be able to communicate in
the French language.
Adejinle told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that President Macron had always emphasised the importance of the French language in promoting relations between Nigerians and the French people.
“We have realised that language has always been a problem in any relationship.
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During my tenure as the Deputy Head of the Nigerian Mission in Paris, President Macron had always encouraged us to encourage more Nigerians to learn to speak the French language.
It is important for more Nigerians to speak the French language, so as to increase their chances of interacting freely with the French people in
either doing business or studying,’’ he said.
Adejinle, who retired last year, said that there would be huge opportunities for Nigerians in France if more Nigerians learn to communicate in the language.
He also expressed optimism that more Nigerian students would have the opportunities to study in different French universities and colleges. The former deputy Head of Mission said that of the 30,000 Nigerians in France as at last year, 1,200 were students.
“When we look at the number of international students in different French universities and colleges, we only have few Nigerians in these
institutions.
It is very important for young Nigerians to key into the interest of President Macron in making more Nigerians communicate in the French
language.
I strongly believe that for anybody to be part of any society, the person must learn to speak the language of that society,’’ he
added. (NAN)