Mr Osita Okechukwu, the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), has restated the commitment of VON to champion the speaking of French language to expand the linguistics frontiers of Nigerian students.
Okechukwu gave the assurance at the 2020 /2021 5th Edition of VON Annual French Drama Secondary School Competition at the National Press Centre, Radio House on Tuesday in Abuja.
The D-G said that the initiative was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s proclamation on harnessing to the fullest potential of the Nigerian children.
Okechukwu said that VON considered the view that catching children young was a win-win scenario for parents, the country and global Franco community as “the world is now a global village’’.
“This noble concept of annual French drama secondary school competition was birthed by National Youth Service Corps members led by Mr Isaac John,” he said.
Mr Benoit Billy, the Linguistics Attaché, Embassy of France in Nigeria, said that the embassy had offered to host the next VON annual French drama secondary school competition at the France Institute in Abuja.
Billy, who is also a Deputy Director at the institute revealed that the embassy would organise capacity building workshop for teachers and directors of VON on how to stage theater play in French language.
“I feel really happy that the Voice of Nigeria has been holding this programme for many years to promote French language in the country,” he said.
Ayuba Daniel, a student from one of the participating schools, ECWA High Secondary School, Doma Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, said the importance of learning and speaking French and other foreign languages should not be taken lightly.
Another student, Miracle Olatunji, from the Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun, said speaking the French language would provide greater opportunities, especially while seeking for international engagements.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports ECWA High Secondary School, Doma, LGA emerged the winner of the drama competition, while the Ambassadors College Ota, Ogun came second.
Other schools that participated in the competition were Anglican College Kubwa, Abuja, Nakam Memorial College, Jos, Plateau, and Cor Mariae Boys College, Garki II, Abuja. (NAN)
