Friday 3 September 2010

A graduate at last

After 8 tough years of persistence, I finally have my first degree.
It has been a long rough road of ups and downs. I stumbled on rocks, fell on hard nails, got up, passed through difficult administrative bodies, but arrived at my targeted destination.

It all started 8 years ago back in Nigeria. In 2001-2002 academic season (started in 2002), I got my admission to study French Language in the department of Modern Languages, under Arts Faculty, University of Lagos. After series of lecturers' strikes (2003: 3 months, 2004: 7 months, and 2005: 5 months) demanding for salary increase from the federal government, I decided to go overseas to follow up my studies.

As a year 3 student in French Language, I opted for France. I applied for a French visa and found myself in France.

Arriving in France, I was told that my french was not sufficient to pursue a higher degree programme in french; that I needed to take a 1 year intensive french classes. I equally needed to go through a national French Language examination in order to test my level of comprehension of the language, written level, as well as the level of my oral french.

I passed through the stage of intensive language year and exams, got into the university to read law (in french language), but failed my 1st year (ofcourse. Why not?).

My first day in the amphitheater was 'Introduction to French law'. The overseeing lecturer made a joke in french. I did not know he said something untill I heard everyone laughing. Another anecdote was when we had a suprise test (general principles of french constitutional law). I did not understand that the lecturer was setting a test untill I turned around and saw people bringing out sheets of paper. Before I new it, she was already dictating.

The year went by and I saw myself coming back to do all over what I did the previous year. But this time around, I understood better. I ended the year with better grades (10/20 overall grade), and even had 16/20 in the constitutional law course, whereas I had 1/20 the previous year.

After my 2nd year in the law faculty of the 'Université de Droit et de la Santé Lille 2', I decided to follow up studies in the language I was born with, English ofcourse.
I went to (IAE) Institute d'Administration des Entreprises and read business administration. The programme allowed for 2 internships in an academic year. Such training periods are highly valued in companies. It enables one get direct company insight, add practical knowledge to ones' already acquired theoretical knowledge, offers career opportunities, as well as an individual follow up of students. All these are rare (if not lacking) in the universities.

I need to spare you dear readers of the ordeal I went through in the hands of some of my french lecturers who are not open minded with foreign students even in this 21st century. There attitude toward grading a foreign student who's 1st language is not french is a bit appalling. Every error in french was not tolerated, whereas, in the English language course I took, lecturers were always strict with me, claiming that English is my 1st language.

It was very saddening to know that I was not treated equally with my other classmates when it was a matter of English, but was told (in the courses taught in French) that when I become a lawyer, I will practice in french courts, and will defend my clients in French. For this reason, there should not be room for errors. I was even refused French/English dictionary in the exam.

Following these ordeals, I changed my orientation and went to a graduate management school, where I am now proud to write to you that I am finally a graduate.

I am very happy all the same that I went through such difficult time in the university. It added to my experience in life, developed my knowledge of the French legal system, increased my written and oral french (necessary to stand in front of a jury and defend clients!!!), gave me the courage to fight harder in order to have better gardes in my new school, and with my recent success, comforted my motto of never say die.

At the moment, I am proudly pursuing my post graduate degree programme in Paris. However, the level at which students are left behinde without assistance in the french university system should be put into consideration.




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