Skip to main content

NGO plans teaching Chinese language in Nigeria

FILE PHOTO: President Xi Jinping of China shake hands with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

FILE PHOTO: President Xi Jinping of China shake hands with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

A Non-Governmental Oganisation (NGO), Initiative of African Friends of China, says it has concluded plans to start the teaching of Chinese language in some centres in Nigeria.

President of the organisation, Mr Fred Ogwazu, announced this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DBS Media Ltd, a Nigerian creative media content agency on Sunday in Lagos.

He said that the plan, which would be extended to other African countries, was aimed at boosting the relationship between Africa and China.

“To further boost this advocacy, we have already concluded plans to commence the teaching of Chinese language in some centres across Africa, starting from Nigeria.

“The Nigeria centre for the teaching of Chinese language will be located in Abuja with business men and other interested persons as our target, while others will be cited in African countries such as Ethiopia and South Africa.

“Already, we have written to the Chinese Embassy here in Nigeria to provide us with volunteer teachers for the language and we are sure to commence very soon,’’ he said.

According to him, the development would also promote business for indigenous African companies intending to partner with Chinese companies.

Ogwazu said that the relationship between Nigeria and China had been growing by the day, following the commendable activities of institutions like Forum on China-Africa Corporation and the China-Africa Development Fund.

“Initiative of African Friends of China is therefore calling for greater awareness among African Governments and private sectors to key into the developmental opportunities provided by the Chinese Government through this platform towards tackling most of Africa’s challenges,” he said.

According to him, aside from advocating the teaching of Chinese language in Nigeria and other African countries as a way of strengthening socio-economic and cultural ties with China, the MoU also seeks to create opportunities with investors through the provision of timely information.

He said that such information was majorly on opportunities available in China and in the continent.

Ogwazu also said the MoU was also tailored around changing the perception of products and services exchange between China and other African countries, as well as provide feedback channels where necessary among others.

“To also realise this, we in conjunction with DBS Media Ltd would implore the use of documentary videos and movies in creating the much needed awareness on the potential in Nigeria and Africa at large.

“Our partnership with DBS Media is strategic as we intend to do a well-researched documentary and video that will highlight the developmental drives by Chinese Government to African nations,” he said.

He called on the Federal Government to introduce the teaching of Chinese language in secondary schools across the country.

According to Ogwazu, this will help to explore maximally, the socio-economic co-operations, educational and cultural exchanges as well as technological and skills acquisition between both countries.

In his remark, the Managing Director, DBS Media Mr Cletus Chukwuma, said that he was looking forward to a fruitful working relationship with the association, as the agency had all it takes to meet its expectations.

“We are not new in the packaging of quality contents that satisfies the curiosity of the viewing public,” Chukwuma said.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Man docked for defiling 9-year-old girl

magistrate-court A 33-year-old man, Godwin Otobo, was on Monday docked at a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.For allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl, ‎Otobo, who lives at No. 10, Borrow Pit St., Sangotedo-Ajah area of Lagos, was said to have defiled the underage girl whose parents also reside in the same compound. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the accused committed the offence at about 9.00 p.m. sometimes in September. “The accused defiled the girl in the night when she was fetching water.‎ “The offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011,’’ Osayande told the court. The accused pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge of defilement. Ruling on a bail application filed by the accused, Chief Magistrate Ipaye Nwachukwu, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. She said one of the sureties must be a property owner in Lagos State, while the other must be a civil servant on grade...