|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Marc Fonbaustier, French Ambassador to Nigeria, has described the newly commissioned Alliance Française building in Kano as a “major leap forward” in France–Nigeria cultural relations, praising the project as one of the most ambitious investments in French language education in Northern Nigeria.
Fonbaustier, who presided over the inauguration of the two-storey facility at Ahmadiyya Junction along Airport Road, lauded Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, Founder of the MAAUN Group of Universities, for donating the ultramodern structure along with N10 million in operational support.
He said the gesture reflects an exceptional commitment to deepening intercultural dialogue and expanding educational opportunities for young Nigerians.
Read also: Kano to deepen collaboration with France on water sector reforms
According to the envoy, the new centre — equipped with smart classrooms, digital language labs, multimedia studios, high-speed internet, conference halls and a digital library — places Kano among the leading hubs for French cultural diplomacy in West Africa. “This is not just a building,” Fonbaustier noted, “but a bridge that strengthens the historical ties between France and Kano.”
The commissioning also marks a turning point in the history of Alliance Française Kano, one of Nigeria’s earliest northern branches of the global French cultural network. Established in the 1950s as part of France’s post-war cultural outreach, the centre has spent decades promoting French language instruction and artistic exchange across Kano State.
For much of its existence, the Alliance operated from rented spaces, shifting locations as student numbers grew and operational needs expanded. Despite these constraints, it became a key attraction for civil servants, students, businesspeople, and diplomats seeking French proficiency — especially during periods when Kano forged strong trade and educational ties with Francophone neighbours such as Niger and Chad.
Ali Dabo, director of the centre, highlighted this legacy, noting that the decades-old dream of securing a permanent, purpose-built home had finally been achieved. “In all our history in Kano, no single individual has transformed the centre to this level,” he said, expressing gratitude to Gwarzo, for delivering what he called “a dignified and lasting home” for French learning in the state.
With the new facility now in place, Fonbaustier expressed confidence that Alliance Française Kano will play an even more strategic role in shaping bilingual education and cultural cooperation.
He prayed for Gwarzo’s continued good health and commended his longstanding humanitarian commitments across Nigeria.
The modern centre is expected to significantly expand access to world-class French language training in Kano, invigorating cultural exchange programs between France and Northern Nigeria and reinforcing the state’s reputation as a historic crossroads of learning and diplomacy.
