The Role of French Language Proficiency in the Society

French language is one of the Roman languages of the Italic sub family in Europe. The language is spoken in France as a mother tongue. It is also an official language for 29 countries which are literally referred to as la Francophonie. 

In 2011, French was deemed by the Bloomberg Businessweek magazine as one of the top three most useful languages for business, behind English and Chinese. This makes French more widespread than Spanish, Portuguese and other prominent European languages.

In West Africa, out of the fifteen countries forming the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), eight are French speaking. The language spread to West Africa through colonialism which began with the partitioning of Africa by European countries at the Berlin Conference between 1884 and 1885.

Though these West African countries gained their independence from France in the 1960s, they still continue to use French as their official language just like many former colonies do all over the world.

Nigeria geographically lies within an enclave of three Francophone countries which are the Ivory Coast (Cȏte D’Ivoȋre) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and Togo to the east. 

Historically, Nigerians have been interacting with all their Francophone neighbours in West Africa through trading, religious activities, marriages, sports and other social events. In all such dealings, the use of French language becomes very paramount.

According to the International Francophone Organization (OIF), French is spoken today by 220 million individuals in over 75 nations and on five continents. French is the sole official language of France and is an official language of twenty-eight other countries, mostly in Africa and Europe.
(French Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2014).

The impressive numbers and lists do not encapsulate the decades of war, decolonization and Marshall Plan aid that have gradually humbled this once superpower. Modern day France is struggling to accept a new world order in which its cultural reputation cannot alone earn it respect and in which its language is no longer the primary international language of diplomacy (Schiffman 1996). 

The French Ministry of Culture and its many partner organizations play an essential role in defending French culture on the world stage.