The French Programme began in 1977 as a degree programme in the Department of Modern European Languages. The first French student was Mr. Patt Amadi who graduated in 1981.
Initially, students were sent to France for the Year Abroad Programme. But as from 1982 to 1989, they were sent to Lomé, in Togo. The high cost of maintenance of students forced the University to settle for the French Language Village at Ajara, Badagry for the Programme since 1992. However, following a memorandum of understanding recently signed between University of Ilorin and Universitéd’Abomey Calavi in Bénin Republic arrangements are on-going to send our 300 Level French students to the former.
Since becoming a full Department in 2004, The Department of French has worked out a programme which caters for students wishing to take French as a minor course. There is also a Functional French Programme for the entire University Community.
Department of French, as at today, boasts of three Professors, six Senior Lecturers, one Lecturer I, four Assistant Lecturers and one Graduate Assistant. There are now 187 students offering French from the B. A. to the Ph.D levels.