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By Glory Aiyegbeni
The entire gamut of bilateral exchanges of two giant nations in their respective regions is currently hanging in the balance. Before any professional critic may ask for the wisdom behind making this crucial discourse public, it is forthright to first appreciate the objective and essential obligations of the fourth estate – the media. We, like the watchman, inform, educate, alert and impact the members of the public and public servants in particular with current affairs, national and international trending news and everything else on the global stage that needs to be known by all and sundry. Simply, we engage in information dissemination. It helps the recipients to be sufficiently grounded and informed, enabling them to make sound decisions and maintain rational conduct and follow the right direction towards sustainable and progressive nation-building.
Digging deep into China’s diplomatic experiment may have been a wider topical dimension of this expository discourse. But I needed to particularize it to Africa, then Nigeria. Special attention may be drawn to the current Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Yang Dunhai (resumed August 2024 and formerly China’s Ambassador to Malta 2020-2024), and the Lagos State-based Consul General H.E. Ms Yan Yuqing (whose locally adopted names are Ayo, Uche and Fatima). The rating here is necessarily so that both nations grow together in a mutual exchange of cultural, technological, socioeconomic dimensions. Respect for each other’s dignity and national integrity is crucial.
When I sat consuming his rich historical yet nostalgic narration of how he followed his father, Ambassador Alhaji Mohammadu Sanusi, to Beijing, on presenting his letter of credence, I marvelled. Mohammadu Sanusi II, ebullient Emir of Kano and former Central Bank Governor’s memorable entertainment with the birth of Nigeria-China bilateral relations remains legendary. Correspondingly, in Nigeria at the same time in February 1971 was the first Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Yang Qiliang
Current Chinese Ambassador H.E. Yu Dunhai and other Nigerian dignitaries at the event, tagged “Nigeria-China at 55 Dialogue” which held at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) headquarters in Abuja on February 11, 2026. The sights and sounds of the occasion are still reverberating indefinitely. The Director-General of the Centre for China Studies, Dr. Charles Onunaiju, in conjunction with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), made the event possible. It was indeed an intellectual feast, to say the least.
No doubt, Nigeria and China share several similarities. Look at this index commonality of both remarkable nations:
* October 1, Independence Day
* Regional largest population
* Ethnic diversity yet under unitary governance
Other News
* Young population manpower, etc
Truly, in the comity of nations worldwide, Nigeria and China are richly endowed with great potential and prospects to galvanize mutual rapid growth purposes. It remains so to be recognised and explored maximumly.
Reading through the 4-series book, “The Governance of China (which hard copy was handed to me by H.E. Ms Yan Yuqing six months after her duty resumption at their Idejo Street embassy office) and most of the landmark speeches and other classics by President Xi Jinping, it is quite clear that China’s Xi Jinping-led Communist Party (C.C.P) discourages what I rather term the “supremist syndrome” or generally known as hegemonic stance. The predominant theme surrounding his writings is Major-Country Diplomacy With Chinese Characteristics. It trickles down to “people-to-people growth via Chinese Embassies and Consulates”. Furthermore, it brandishes “core” Foreign Policy Principle: “Community of Shared Future for Mankind,” under which is a silent prohibition of imposition of ideology through a static hegemonic (supremist mentality) position.
Shockingly, a theme that is demonstratively being violated by especially a certain protocol officer at the China Embassy Lagos State is “People-to-People Exchanges As A Pillar,” which illustrates the need to support without questioning the exchange programmes, ranging from scholarship, REWARD TRIPS FOR PERFORMING STAFF by MULTI-BILLION BLUECHIP COMPANIES (emphasis mine) media training workshop, cultural and social services, etc. The sub-theme covering China’s dedication to enhance “grassroot goodwill” and feel the Nigerian citizen’s general wellbeing is seriously challenged by this protocol barrier as currently represented in the Consul General’s office. Indeed, the adversary that destroys our foundation is within. It must be pinpointed and redeployed to a position where the opportunity to negate national efforts is non-existing.
Often, I have sounded like a dutiful and eagle-eyed watchman in the great fiscal and economic support to Nigeria to take advantage of as generously provided by our concerned friendly nation, China. Sitting with the immediate former Consul General of China H.E. Chu Maoming, in the year 2023 (just toward the end of his tenure) at the Lagos office, he visibly wondered why Nigerian citizens are worried about the necessary loans Nigeria obtains from China. Then it was about USD32 billion during the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. I took exception to his apparent misinformation on the subject. He got curious. I spoke convincingly and critically. He ate my rebuttal like it was his only available and healthy lunch. I said that Nigerians who are, in his words, complaining about the continued borrowing, saying “he who goes borrowing goes sorrowing”, are not crying wolf but are constructive and correctly expressing their concerns for the integrity in the disbursements of the received loans. I emphasized that there is no visible or tangible evidence that the previously acquired macro loans were responsibly and judiciously disbursed. Rather, it ended in private pockets. He shuddered. Then he said, “that’s true.”
But he insisted that China has mapped out the whopping amount of USD200 billion for the nation Nigeria as disposable loans should the government come requesting. He went down memory lane to remind us that China borrowed much more than USD 200 Billion during their national rebirth and developmental gestation period about 5 decades ago.
It is not necessary to enumerate the ugly stories of the Chinese nationals engaging in illegal activities in Nigeria in undue collaboration with the unscrupulous elements of Nigeria citizens and political leaders as partners in crime. When I escalated these criminal activities by some Chinese nationals in Nigeria and their unpatriotic Nigeria collaborators trends to the outgone Consul General Chu Maoming, notably the illegal mining at Osogbo, Osun State capital, I was reminded that it is difficult for the embassy to micromanage their nationals day to day engagements in Nigeria. It is then the China Embassy position that whoever violates the law of Nigeria should face the wrath of the law. The embassy does not interfere.
The sound bilateral exchanges between China and Nigeria can no one successfully undermine. Therefore, any move, no matter how covertly or conspicuous it may be, that tends to cast questions or doubts to the point it becomes a stumbling block, cause volatility and impinge the hitherto healthy relationship between the two outstanding developed cum developing nations, must be nipped in the bud before it becomes a custom. The Nigeria adage that “an aberration that’s permitted uncheckmated for a while will soon metamorphe to custom and tradition,” is instructive here.
• Orajiaku ([email protected])
