Nigerians in China embarrassing us, says students’ union

By INNOCENT OWEH

A group of Nigerian students studying in China, under the auspices of Coalition of Nigerian Students in China, CNSC, has criticized the behaviour of some Nigerians living in China.

The group alleged they are living as bad guest of the Communist government.

President of the group, Umar Abukabar in a statement made available to the media on Monday, in Abuja, denounced statements purportedly issued by other Nigerian groups in China, claiming they were being maltreatment for no reason.

According to Abubakar, such claims does not represent the views and opinions about the Chinese government.

“Most of these other group are hardly known to us and we doubt if they exist at all”. Abubakar stated.

He bemoaned the frequent statements being issued by one group or the other against the Chinese government noting that it was unbecoming of foreigners living in another man’s country, “if truly they are being maltreated as claimed what are they still doing here?

“The Chinese government is our host and it bespoke of a bad guest to constantly harangue your host in this manner while you are still a guest in the country.” The statement read.

He said that as President of Nigerian students in China there was no truth in the prevailing stories that Nigerians are being harassed in China.

Regarding a recent incident in Guangdong he had this to say.

“what happened in Guangdong should be seen as an isolated incidence, and most of Nigerians that were denied accommodation is because they refused to adhere to the stringent measures put in place by the Chinese government to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus.

“Unfortunately many Nigerians are capitalising on it to demonised the Chinese government”. He said that the successes the Chinese government have achieved in curtailing the spread of the virus was because of these very stringent measures.

“How do you think China was able to defeat the virus? Many other nationals have been adhering to these new rules without questions, why Nigerians think they should be treated differently and can now dictate to the Chinese government how to run their country beats ones imagination, “he stated.

He said that as President of Nigerian students in China there was no case of any Nigerian student facing discrimination or molestation. “many of us appreciate the efforts of the Chinese government in seeing to our welfare. We have being fully provided for and in most cases the Chinese government have borne the extra cost of our upkeep especially during the lockdown in some provinces. Amazingly the efforts of the Chinese government has ensured that no Nigerian student has so far contracted the virus and we hope it remains so “

He noted that if there were genuine grievance among Nigerian living in China, there were appropriate mechanism for dealing with them rather than constant media statements.

“Each time we come across such statement it is an embarrassment not just to us but our host who sincerely don’t deserve this media trial” he said. (Daily Independent)

• PHOTO: GUANGZHOU, CHINA – DECEMBER 17: African trader Nelson sits on a bus taking him home December 17, 2008 in Guangzhou, China. In Guangzhou, the largest city in south China, 20.000 Africans are trying to make a life for themselves as traders in wholesale markets. Here, they hope to carve out their own piece of the Chinese economical miracle. The traders buy clothes and other cheap goods to be shipped and sold back home. Approximately 80% of the Africans in Guangzhou are Nigerians, others are from e.g. Ghana, Kenya and Cameroon. (Photo by David Hogsholt/Edit by Getty Images)