France has once again re-asserted its commitment to support Nigeria in it’s fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.
While other major world powers were dilly-dallying on whether to assist Nigeria or not, and in what capacity to provide assistance, the French was at the fore-front of the international support for Nigeria. The French vent assurance their when Defence Attaché of the France Embassy in Nigeria, Col. Marc Humbert, paid a courtesy visit to the former Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt.-Gen Azubuike Ihejirika in his country home at Ovim Isuikwuato local government of Abia state.
Humbert, who led a French delegation to donate books to the Nigerian Army Language Institute (NALI) Ovim, commended the federal government for its enhanced efforts to rout the insurgents, adding that France was ready to make available any form of assistance.
“My country will help in fighting the war (against Boko Haram) and will continue to support Nigeria until the war against terrorism is won,” he said, adding that there has been notable improvement in the efforts of the Nigerian military in its war against the terrorists.
France is also battling homegrown terrorists. An attack on the office of a satirical magazine, ‘ Charlie Hebdo’ earlier in the year left 14 people dead but it has been able to contain the menace without allowing it to grow into insurgency like the situation in Nigeria. Humbert, who was in company of his deputy, Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Laurent Leveco and Director of Alliance France, Enugu, Mr. Olivien Moveginot, described Nigeria as a very close ally of France; hence the need to assist the military to learn French.
In his response Ihejirika lauded France for taking interest to help build the capacity in the NALI, which is still at its teething stage. He said the Army language Institute was intended to equip the Nigerian Army with the language skills needed for stronger collaboration with their counterparts from Nigeria’s neighbouring countries that are mostly French speaking. The former COAs expressed delight that the language institute which was set up during his tenure has finally taken off to actualize the vision for which it was established.
The Defence Attache and his entourage later went to NALI where he presented the books to the Commandant of NALI, Col. Joseph Bamidele Ajanaku. Ajanaku, who received the books on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, commended France for being the first country to assist the institute in its efforts to achieve the objectives for which it was set up. He said the school just commenced academic activities on August 1, 2015 with its first set of 20 students who are doing the basic French course 1, adding that the donated books would go a long way in helping them to be proficient in French language.
According to him, NALI was intended to teach seven languages including French, Arabic, Swahili, Portuguese, German and Chinese while the other languages would be added in due course in line with Nigeria’s bilateral agreements with other nations.
