The Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) has held the inauguration ceremony of Language Proficiency Course at the Centre’s Conference room, Abuja. The commencement of the language proficiency course for the Nigerian Army personnel was organized by the NARC in collaboration with Laclic Services Limited, a leading language school and cultural institution in Nigeria.
In his welcome remark at the opening ceremony, the Director General Maj Gen Johnny Hamakim, represented by Director, International Alliance and Linkages NARC, Brig Gen NJ Anene revealed that currently Nigeria is confronted by numerous security challenges which include the activities of the degraded Boko Haram terrorists, cattle rustlers, armed robbers, kidnappers, assassins, cultists, ritual killers, herdsmen and farmers clashes. He added that, the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) across the country is also one of the many challenges facing the country at large.
Brig Gen Anene, expressed that the scenario has become more worrisome when viewed against the backdrop of the increasing activities of the separatists ethno-regional groups across the country. He said the challenges are enormous to the extent that the military is deployed in virtually all the 36 states of the federation.
Similarly, at the international scene, Nigeria is an active player in the maintenance of international peace and security particularly through active participation in international peace support operations. Furthermore, it is well known today that Nigeria is surrounded by several Francophone countries, and the reality of the 21st Century transnational nature of the security challenges have brought the country side-by-side with francophone troops hence the need for proficiency in other languages other than the mother tongue.
In his own word, “the reality of our security challenges both at the domestic and international levels require officers and soldiers to be proficient in both indigenous and foreign languages in order to adequately cope with the challenges of operational environment. Therefore, this language proficiency course is designed to achieve this goal; equipping the Nigeria Army personnel with requisite languages skills to navigate contemporary security environment”, he said. He said this is also in line with the current NA policy that requires personnel to be proficient in language other than their mother tongue particularly the three major languages in Nigeria which are Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba
According to him, the languages covered in this course include French, German, English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Swahili as well as Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa. It is hoped that participants will make the best use of this opportunity to enhance their proficiency in any of their language choice particularly to justify the efforts and resources committed to making the course a reality.
He also made it known that the Chief of Army Staff has magnanimously paid the course fee for all participants, while thanking the Army Chief for the confidence and opportunity given to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre to drive his vision of bequeathing a professional Nigerian Army. Present at the event were various Directors of the NARC and their deputies, senior research fellows, officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre.
