‘China connecting people across globe through language, culture’

DIRECTOR, Confucius Institute, University of Lagos, Professor Yongjing Wang, says that China has provided a platform where people all over the world can connect with one another to learn the language and culture of the Chinese people.

He also says there are scholarships and opportunities to find good jobs in Chinese institutions for those who are willing to explore such opportunities.

One of such opportunities, the Chinese Bridge Language Proficiency Competition, which creates a bridge to link students from all over the world where they can learn culture and tradition, was held in October in China.

It featured 98 countries of the world, including Nigeria.

The duo of Adelaja Marvellous and Adeshina Damilola of Jextoban Secondary School, Lagos, represented Nigeria at the competition. They were led to the competition by Mrs Nike Popoola.

It was the first time Nigeria had participated in the competition, with the representative carefully selected by the Confucius Institute, UNILAG.

The team scored 71.8 per cent, said Wang while receiving the management of the school in her office in Lagos.

While welcoming the management led by the director of Jextoban school, Mr Dayo Ojo, Wang said those who took part in the competition had a beautiful impression of China while they were there.

According to her, China has become a place desired by everyone across the world, saying that students also had the opportunity to discover the beauty of the language and culture of China after the competition.

“We always say in China, children are the hope of the future. We have to depend on our children to develop our country and our future, because when they go outside and see something different, they come back to their motherland and replicate what they have seen,” she said.

Speaking further, Professor Wang said it was the Nigerian people that demanded for the establishment of the institute, to learn about the Chinese people and tradition, which, according to her, are very similar to what obtains in Africa and Nigeria.

Jexoban director, Mr. Ojo, thanked Professor Wang for the opportunity afforded the school and particularly Nigerians, and expressed the hope that the institute would open more opportunities for the country.

He said the school management took up the challenge to teach its students Mandarin so as to prepare them to become global citizens to interact, learn and share culture, technology and other valuable things useful for national development.