China, Nigeria Enhancing Cooperation Through Culture

The China Temple Fair hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday, at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Abuja recorded high attendance as friends of China came to mark the day. The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun at the event told the media that Nigeria and China have strengthened strategies for cooperation using culture as a tool for connectivity between peoples for mutual benefit and shared prosperity.

The China Temple Fair also known as the Chinese New Year 2024, referred to as the ‘Year of the Dragon’ had an impressive and colorful display of Nigeria’s varied dance troupes and magnificent showcase of sonorous songs reminiscent of Nigeria’s diversely rich cultural background including wonderful performances by young Nigerian students drawn from different secondary schools within and around Abuja.

According to the ambassador, the Year of the Dragon is marked by its auspiciousness and wisdom, which both countries can leverage to grow together. Cui said Nigeria and China have collaborated in varying sectors to deepen ties, stressing “We are also working in the security sector and a lot of tangible results have been delivered since my arrival in Nigeria.

“For example we have the game changer- the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, we have made a lot of investments in ICT and in agriculture, oil and gas. We are also collaborating with Nigeria to boost the mining sector, insurance, banking and industry.”

In a chat with an expert on China, Dr. Austin Maho, he noted that “It is an opportunity to bring different kinds of people together to celebrate the Chinese New Year, to build harmony and to create a mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Nigeria towards a world of shared future.

The Director of Centre for China Studies, Mr. Charles Onunaiju, in his remarks advised the Nigerian government to key into the Chinese cultural fiesta and leverage it to “promote Nigeria’s cultural artifacts and other cultural materials including dances in the most profound way possible.

“There is potential in the cultural economy with regards to the China Nigeria cooperation. We had an enormous pool of the Nigerian community and this can be used to deepen economic cooperation especially now that Nigeria is one of the biggest trading partners of China in Africa,” he noted.