ARTSLINK
Journal of Liberal and Applied Arts
Oyo State College of Education, Ilesa
VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2
March, 1988
ARTSLINK:
Journal of Liberal and Applied Arts
Contents ARTSLINK Vol. 1 No 2, March, 1988
THE ROLE OF LINGUISTICS IN THE STUDY OF YORUBA
LITERATURE,
Depo Okunade..........................................................................................1
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES IN THE STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION
OF THE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM IN NIGERIA,
Omowumi Ogunsola (Miss).....................................................................13
AN EXAMINATION OF THE MEANING AND USAGE OF THE MODALS
IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR,
David Aderemi Adewuyi..........................................................................23
FRENCH IN NIGERIA ASSESSING ITS CHANCES OF SURVIVAL,
Tunde Ajiboye.........................................................................................31
APARTHEID POLICY AND THE PROSPECT OF MAJORITY RULE IN
SOUTH AFRICA
Adekunle Alade Busari............................................................................41
USER APPROACH TO ORGANISATION OF RESOURCES IN
ACADEMIC LIBRARIES FOR EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION,
Kayode Okotore......................................................................................53
RELIGION, POLITICS AND SOCIETY
M. Olasupo Adeleye................................................................................61
v
FRENCH IN NIGERIA:
ASSESSING ITS CHANCES OF SURVIVAL
Tunde Ajiboye,
University of Ilorin.
In The Beginning.
French as a language came into Nigeria by negotiation not by
surprise. This is quite understandable in that unlike English language,
French came into Nigeria not as a logical linguistic follow—up to a foreign
conquest but as a means of seeking partnership (economic and social
principally) with Nigeria. In other words, while English language was
accepted because Nigeria had to. French was accepted because Nigeria
chose to. Nigeria, it will be recalled, was under the British Colonial
administration for decades and did not become politically independent until
1st October 1960. Although independent, and free to. run her own attains in
her own way she cannot ignore the wound of the British claws which is still
kept fresh somewhat through the language for which there has still not been
an acceptable substitute.
Barely two years after independence, the University of Ibadan
introduced the study of French as an undergraduate discipline. As not many
students were aware of the 'need for such a discipline, there was a need to
persuade otherwise unwilling students to have a taste of the subject. Several
special attractions were offered : journey to a French-speaking country at the
expense of the University or the French government . Film shows in and
outside the class; French" records were made available too while various
entertainment programmes (including dancing and music) were organised to
promote students interest. This was in addition to the preliminary well articulated lecture on the secret joys of learning a foreign language like
French. It was not long before the notion became widespread that the proper
language of true romance was French. Did Andreas Kemke (he was a
Swede) not postulate that at the Garden of Eden God spoke Swedish, Adam
spoke Danish and Serpent French? Basically then, French started at the
tertiary level and with considerable persuasive efforts. Learning took place in
such a work—and—play atmosphere that undecided students of history,
English or Classics were easily convinced of a better place in the French
Department. In this development, there is no doubt that the French
government gave considerable support either by direct supply of books or
through scholarship awards. Even though the
31
French government did not think of the introduction of French to the Nigeria
educational system as a means of gaining socio-political control (like in the
French speaking countries), it certainly saw it as a means of asserting its
social prestige beyond its colonies. As the rise of technology in France
became more pronounced the need to make French a universal language of
wider communication become more and more realistic.
Interest in foreign languages in Nigeria could be said to have started
with the study and use of English language. But it is appropriate to stress
that the study of French was seen as a romantic celebration of the Nigerian's
interest in foreign tongues. To say you could speak French was in the 60's
an event comparable in (its) effect to a woman's claim in the 60's to knowing
how to drive. Naturally very few people were actually lured into making
French a subject of study, compared with the vast number of students
registered for subjects like History, English or even Latin. Apart from the
newness or 'strangenous' of the subject French, there were not many
teachers for it. However, the following were the circumstances under which
French was being taught in early 60's with relative modifications up to the
present day.
The principal teaching method was direct translation. Students were
confronted with passages in English which they were required, through
practice, to be able to render in French. This presuppores that learning was
done through another language, and that even so, categorial substitution
was the rule rather than the exception. One major error commited by the
teachers of French was that they tended the French as being oh the same
love of familiarity as English, whereas the latter enjoys greater frequency of
use than French. So established was this error that the same teaching
procession was used for both English and French.
The teacher of French was content with reading printed texts to the
students who were asked to sheepishly repeat after the teacher. Students
were the more confounded that they could not sort themselves out of the
observation that there was a scandalous discrepancy between what the
teacher said and what was in the printed texts before them. Gaining
functional mastery of the language was perhaps the fundamental objective of
the government in accepting the study of French, but if functional mastery
was to be gained, the instructional resources ought to be such that a
graduate of French would be able, not only to avail himself of the extra
information contained in a French technical textbook or a French commercial
product, but also to appreciate the depth of thought and the beauty of
32
expression in simple literary works. And more importantly, he should be able
to speak the language .tolerably well. Unfortunately, the lack of adequate
instructional resources often bedevilled learning readiness and constituted a
significant cog tn the wheel of language acquisition. There was, for example,
little or no verbal dialogue after the classroom wall especially because
students had to operate in a harrowing multilingual context, with English
holding them to ransom by the left and their local languages imposing
themselves upon their thought by the right.
It should also be borne in mind that most of the students "recruited"
for the experiment in foreign language learning were adults whose language
learning capacity at that age could not be said to be excellent. Many of them
had been used to the patterns of learning in the second language acquisition
whose spectrum of daily use is of course more considerable than that of
French. There is also the important observation that many of the students
could not learn the language as fast and as readily as they would 15 to 29
years back. They had developed a fairly stiff reflex to language learning;
consequently the new forms of oral expression were often badly perceived,
while syntactic organisations that are decidedly different from the first
European language acquired were often conceived as similar or at least
nearly so. Errors such as : /II fa/ instead of /il va/ are attributable to bad
management of vocal expression due to the initial language of contact i.e.
the mother tongue, while errors wuch as: II trend le mouchoir de la/table
instead of il 'prend le mouchoir sur la table are due to confused syntactic
ordering.
Of course, the 'adult' question is not a lone factor in the matter; there
is the question of methodology. There is no doubt that, in principle, a
language methodology that encourages word-to word cross - language
correspondence is likely to produce the kind of surprise highlighted in the
second example above. ‘De’ means ‘from’: therefore He takes the
handkerchief from the table ought to be : II prend le mouchoir de la table:
In a proper language teaching situation, the language taught should
be seen as a whole, as having a full-fledged life of its own. According to
Ferdinand de Saussure, "la langue est un systeme ou tout se tient" It is
therefore expected that the meaning to be appended to a segment should
depend on the other segments in the environment (thus 'from' will means 'de'
or 'sur' depending on the environment in which it occurs.) However, the
teaching climate of the time under reference was such that French language
learning could not occur under the most modern techniques available at the
time.
33
In spite of the practical limitations of language learning procedures
at the time, it is to be remarked that the University of Ibadan was able to
produde it first set of French students in 1965. How many ? - One: Where
have the others gone? The fact of the case was that, at the beginning, many
took French as. a subsidiary subject perhaps for fear of the 'unknown',perhaps also because of their traditional familiarity with other ready —in—
the—market subjects.
As from then on, the Department would be witnessing a painful
imbalance between the number of non—degree—seekers French students
and those who were or got to be really keen in taking a degree in the subject.
Although students enrolled regularly at the beginning of session, it was
discovered that, at the end of the course (3 or 4 years as the case may be)
the turn-out in degree holders was proportionally low. In 1966 there were
(10), 1967 (32) 1969 (27) 1974 (27, 1976 (15):
However, we should not neglect the overall educational effect of all
undergraduates who had undergone formal training in French, however
stable. In fact it was the so-called 'ancillary' students that turned out to be the
'masters' of the subject in countless number of secondary schools.
Incentives Versus Effectiveness.
It may be true that the year Abroad Progremme helped to place the
students' psyche into the French or Francophone world attention need be
drawn to the face that students never were really sufficiently separated from
one another to give the psychological immersion its full meaning and
duration. During the one year spent in a Francophone country, students of
the same local linguistic loyalty still considering it proper to move together
and defend their common local interests did not have much difficulty in
regrouping themselves into Yorubas, Hausas, Ibos, Edos etc. It is only a very
few of them that could resist meaningfully the temptation to laps into the
mother tongue loyalty.
But the Year Abroad gave considerable assistance to those who
really wanted to acquire a first—hand experience of the linguistic habits and
reflexes of the owners/or long—term users of the language. And as time
went on, the trips were so organised that both the academic and social
aspects of life in the country of visit were made to dovetail rationally.
The first products in French in this country were, as can be
imagined, the father to the spread of French beyond the narrow
34
confines of the University. Most of them went straight to teaching in the
secondary schools, and it was a source of enviable pride to be counted
among the .schools leaching French to pupils in addition to English, and
Latin or in replacement of the latter. But how long did the French teachers
stay in the classrooms? The most enthusiastic of them stayed between 3
and 5 years; another group of those who stayed for about the same period
were those who, in spite or their willingness to try other professions, were not
able to get employed elsewhere. In general, therefore, the conclusion that
one can draw from the climate of French teaching in the 60's was that at
least 50 percent of those turned out remained in teaching till the 1970's. This
bears a Stricking contrast to what the picture was like from 1970 Onwards
when new opportunities began to appear and new desire started to
germinate. Although French still continued to attract interest at the University
level, but this was from those who had never done the subject before and
who were prepard to spend extra time, like their predecessors. In other
words, no feedback seems to be coming from the secondary school that
could justify a non-preliminary programme. And even up till today,
Universities that have dispensed with preliminary entry into French studies
often find it difficult to keep up a high rate of admission, This is to say that
few there were who ever received enough French teaching to be able to
prepare for Advanced level examinations in the subject. In 1979, there were
only 45 candidates in the whole of Nigeria; in June 1980. the figure diwindled
tragically to a mere 38.
If it is generally true that each new University has often managed to
set up a Department of French (or Foreign languages), it is not certain the
Universities have had equal ease or success in recruiting students for a
degree course in French. It is of course to be expected that most Universities
would choose the 'Preliminary option as opposed to Direct Entry, (of OAUlfe, Enugu, Abu, Lagos, Calabar etc.) This option has the special advantage
of giving lectures the opportunity of using latest techniques in foreign
language teaching, which underscore the priority of oral over written
medium, comparative studies (or languages) of the foreign language learner,
the importance of dialogues and the use of natural settings and situations
based on simple and well-formed structures. Most of these principles are
achieved through the judicious use of language laboratory.
These techniques culminating in what is called the 'Direct Method'
are not only encouraged locally but actually tried during students' stay in
Francophone educational establishments. The results have been
35
quite considerable; the techniques have given birth to many more graduates
in the 70's than in the 60's. Between 1970 and 1974 at University of Ibadan,
there were 175 Honours graduates of French as against 103 between 1965
and 1969.
However, it would amount to a misunderatending of the problem to
imagine that the increased production of graduates in the field would mean a
brighter future for French in the secondary schools while the Universities
have to depend not only to reduce the cost of production but also to ensure a
sustained interest in the subject. The point is that even though a high
number of graduates trooped into the secondary school, a correspondingly
high number left their students half—way, just on wetting their appetite. The
exodus of French graduate from the classroom is, however, not peculiar to
the discipline. Many other subjects have suffered and are still suffering from
the same fate. The general socio-economic order in the country today is
such that no one person would honestly want to remain in the teaching
profession where, it is clear, not much money runs down down the pipe. The
society gladdens in capitalist interest and shrowds itself in a blanket of graft,
and at no moral cost. Where then is the rationale for keeping your fingers
eternally nailed to the blackboard? And so, many otherwise enthusiastic
teachers ran away as though from olague. What makes the French case a
particularly arrowing spectacle is that there are comparatively too few of the
teachers in the country qualified and unqualified.
Variations in Quality of French Teacher.
Because students have been left half-way many headmasters of
schools have been pressed to a point where they have had to recruit non—
graduates half of whom are made up of Francophone nationals with or
without teaching qualification with or without the equivalent of the school
certificate. Perhaps the major qualification owned by this set of non—
graduate foreigners, and which seems to be beyond any suspicion or doubt
is their nationality which confers on them the presupposition of being
masters of the French language. Unfortunately, most policy makers may not
have at their disposal a sure means of assessing the quality of French
possessed by the foreigners; and even when they do, dire need for "just
somebody to keep up of interest may be too strong to give rationaly
dispassionate assessment a place. Consequently, the interest is kept, but
the promise not; at the end of the day very few candidates make a good
grade. The other half of those teachers
36
can be divided into two again, one the foreigners (both Francophone and
non-Francophone) the other Nigerians holding anything between the school
certificate and N.C.E. (Nigerian Certificate in Education). The first set in the
subdivision are people who have a fair degree of formal education in many
subjects including French; some of them have even studied French in the
Polytechnic or the University but without taking a degree in it. Such people
are usually required to teach French along with other subjects. At a stage in
my secondary school days, my French teacher was also teaching
Mathematics. The results with this set are often generally more rewarding than with the first half of foreigners described earlier. Teachers in this
subdivision are usually trained (maybe not) in French or have acquired
teaching experience over the year. The little they can remember of their
French, they teach with remarkable maturity.
The second subdivision (comprising holders of School Certificate
Higher School Certificate and the Nigeria Certificate in Education) is by far
the most promising; although the degree of promise differs from certificate to
certificate. The School certificate holder is, from the point of view of formal
educational exposure, the least qualified. However, he wants to impress his
headmaster, (whose student he was until quite recently). But the truth is that
in most cases, his best is just not enough to assure his students of safety.
Sometimes aware of this, he does not fail to up—date and improve his
knowledge by studying privately for higher certificate. If he is really
assiduous he would pass Advanced Level French, two to three years after
he has passed all others. Where he does not want to face the challenge of
probable failure, he enters the University through preliminary examination or
goes to a College of Education. Where ever he goes, it is good news, but
what becomes of French students ? The Higher School Certificate holder is
even less stable in the Classroom, unless he has not come out successful in
his examinations. Where he has, his longest life span is 9 months, after
which he goes for higher studies.
The Nigerian Certificate of Education holder is certainly the most
stable because, of his professional training as a teacher. A good number of
teachers in this category have been teaching for so long that they are hardly
attracted by any other calling; and while it is true that French teachers
holding this Certificate are relatively younger than others, it is significant to
note that most of them enjoy the "special" nature of their teaching and do not
want to part with the associated privilege. Morever, the system of recruitment
of French students in many a
37
College of Education makes it difficult for the students-turned teachers to opt
out. For example, students may be required to study only French in Colleges
of Education where French is studied under the title "French - Double major".
There is also the possibility of intake being more in favour of married women.
At any rate, even where MCE teachers leave for the University, the
conditions of service in teaching now seem to lure them back into the
classroom, since they will be able to enjoy their period of study as part and
parcel of their period of service if certain conditions are met. Some are even
sponsored by their/ schools in which case they enter into a bond with the
schools concerned.
Will French Survive in Nigeria?
When all has been considered, one still wonders whether French
will survive in this country. In June 1974, at the University of Ibadan, 27
graduates of French were turned out, less than half are in the teaching
profession today". The number of NCE French teachers in this country is still
less than could meet the most churlish classroom demands. This is why less
and less candidates enrol for French at the secondary school level. In June
1979, 2,503 candidates enrolled for the school certificate, in June 1980 there
were only 2,180. In June 1981, there were 1,763.
To ensure the survival of French in Nigeria, more candidates are
needed at the NCE level to study French. One of the best ways to get
candidates is by recruiting students with little or no knowledge of French.
They will naturally be required to spend extra time and effort on the subject,
and to attend a vacation course twice in a French-speaking country. On the
part of the Government, it will be necessary to provide a standard and
durable language laboratory where students can work independently at their
own pace and monitor their own progress. The objection may be raised that
these procedures and techniques have been used or attempted in most if not
all the Nigerian Universities where French is taught, yet with no substantial
reward in terms of self-procreation. While the objection may be valid as an
observation, it is certainly not valid in terms of comparative results at two
different levels. It would appear that the end at which the procedures and
techniques are being emphasized is the wrong one. As it has been remarked
earlier in this paper, there is little or no career canalisation for the students of
French at the University. The contention is that, apart from the Education
students offering French as major, graduates of French have come to see
the whole sky as littered with possibili38
ties other than teaching. That contention has found firm root in the realities of
job opportunities in the country today. With this kind of picture left by French
teaching in Nigerian Universities, it is is safe to state that only an institution
with specialised vocation for career? guidance can hope to see French grow
and recycle between learner and teacher. The Colleges of Education being
unmistaken examples of such an institution, seem to be the right doorstep at
which to invest the necessary funds and efforts for accelerating and
improving the, learning and the standard of French in Nigeria.
If the teaching of French is assured by the personnel at the NCE
level, and success is achieved in promoting sustained interest in the subject,
the Universities themselves stand to gain. Secondary school leavers with
good grades and no interest in teaching as a career may pursue their degree
programmes in French as an ‘open’ academic discipline. Those who wish to
go into teaching will go for the N.C.E. course like some of their teachers
and/or pursue the study of French as a teaching subject in Education.
Conclusion:
If French is to survive in Nigeria, therefore, efforts have to be made
by both the government and the available staff to encourage the study of the
language not only by spending the available funds wisely, but also by
providing the necessary pedagodiacal strategies to ensure increased
stimulation and continued interest. These strategies include the stress on
spoken French, the use of dialogue, adaptation of such local materials as
proverb and folklore to the goal of French, giving the priority to simple day-today structures, stressing practical utility of French in a rapidly developing
society like Nigeria. Vet, it is necessary to stress that in Nigeria the problem
of the stunted growth of French is not so much linked with how French is
taught as with where and to whom French is taught. Students' interest dies
hard even in the face of bizarre methods. Although one is not holding brief
for bizarre methodology, it would appear that the level at which French is
taught also requires careful examination. As it has been suggested earlier,
introducing French in the secondary schools without assurance of continued
supply of teachers for same is as dangerous as leaving a snake 'scotched,
not killed'. Nor is it adviseable for Universities to continue the traditional
EMPHASIS on open ended single Honours degree in French. It is doubtful if
there is any University in Nigeria
39
whose turn—out in B. Ed (French) is anywhere near half the turn-out in B. A.
(French). At Obafemi Awolowo University (Ife), for example between 1972
and 1978, there were only 28 B. Eds (French). In addition the Government
should see to it that the professional teachers of French whose training has
consumed staggering sums of money teach what they have been trained for
— Franch. Finally, if any expensive methodology is to be tried, if new
challenges in curriculum or materials are to be met, in the area of French
instruction, and if the survival of French is to be rigorously and seriously
pursued, it seems to me that the society stands to gain more from using the
College of Education as a paramount base.
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The teaching of French as a second
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French in Africa : A guide to the teaching
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Does Everybody need French? Le
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Teaching French : an introduction to
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