FOLLOWING the completion of the second and final tenure of Prof. Samuel Olabanji Aje as director general (DG) of the Nigeria French Language Village (NFLG) Ajara, Badagry on Wednesday July 31, 2013, an acting chief executive has been appointed to run the institute.
He is Dr. Matthew Ibiyosi Alawode, a senior and pioneer worker of the Village.
Until his new appointment, he had been the deputy DG since July 2011.
A press statement explained that in the over two decades of the NFLV, the institution has had two chief executives.
Prof. Samuel Adeojo was the first DG/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from 1991-2003. Prof. Samuel Olabanji Aje took over as the second DG/ CEO from 2003-2013.
The statement said: “The primary assignment of the institution is to provide a domestic alternative to the mandatory year abroad programme undergone by undergraduates of French Language in Nigerian Universities and Colleges of Education. Over the years, the institution has trained over 45,000 persons in French Language nationwide. This includes Students of French at all levels and other adult learners spanning different cadres of the society”.
It added: “Dr. Matthew Ibiyosi Alawode the new acting director-general was born on June 8, 1955. He attended St. Kizito Catholic Minor Seminary, Ede from 1970-1974. He had his first degree in the University of Ife from 1976-1981 and the same university (now Obafemi Awolowo University) for his Masters in 1989. He followed up in DEA/M.phil in Université de Franche Comté Besançon and had his PhD from the same University in 2005
“Dr. Alawode started his career as an academic at the then Oyo State College of Education now Osun College of Education Ilesha from 1982-1989 and later at Adeyemi College of Education from 1989-1991. He joined the pioneer team at the Nigeria French Language Village in 1991. He had been Head of Department of Language and Communication between 2006 and 2007.
He was later appointed the Coordinator of Studies from 2010-2011 from where he became deputy DG from 2011 until his new appointment”.
