China Strengthens Cultural Ties with Nigeria, Holds Film Festival in Lagos

Obinna Chima

The Chinese Consulate in Nigeria has organised a film festival in Nigeria as part of efforts to enhance the cultural relationship and between both countries.

The event held in Lagos on Monday, had in attendance top government agencies from both countries which among others included Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms. Yan Yuqing; Executive Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of China, Hu Heping; Executive Deputy Director General, Bureau of Films, the Department of the CPC Central Committee, Mr. Mao Yu; Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Segun Runsewe; Leader of the Delegation from Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Ms. Hajia Zainab Ali-Biu, and Secretary to the State Government of Lagos, Ms. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin.

In his address, Runsewe said the festival was to communicate and interact.

“Film has become a unique tool in uniting the people and bringing people together. I do remember with nostalgia, in the 70s, we used to have Chinese films in this country and Nigerians keyed into it. Today, the Chinese are becoming our greatest ally. What the Chinese represent in Asia, is what Nigeria represents in Africa.

“Nigeria is number three in the film industry in the world. Nigeria is one of the most hospitable people in the world. For us, we are ready to collaborate with China to make a new beginning. We are planning to take 3,000 Nigerians to China, 100 per state, for skill acquisition. We are appealing to you to build film villages in Nigeria, like you have done in some other countries,” he added.

Also, in her welcome address, Yuqing, who is the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, pointed out that both China and Nigeria were ancient civilisations, with abundant historical and cultural heritage, providing fertile soil and vitality for the two countries’ artistic and literary creation, including film-making.

She said the Chinese film-making industry had its origin at the early 20th century, and “over the past century, Chinese cinema has evolved step by step from silent dramas and black-and-white films to high-tech, large-scale giant-screen movies, showing to the world a panoramic view of the Chinese people’s lifestyle, aesthetic thoughts, and sentiments of family and nation.”

Yuqing added: “And in Nigeria, with the socio-economic development in recent years, the Nigerian film-making industry, also known as the NollyWood, has risen rapidly. Nigeria’s production of films ranks among the top in the world, not only creating a huge economic miracle, but also providing an important window for the world to get to know and understand Nigeria.

“Nowadays, when many Nigerian friends talk about China, they come up with elements such as Kungfu, Chinese Dragon, giant panda and red lantern as seen in Chinese movies. Through Nigerian movies, many Chinese people have also learned about Nigeria’s Afrobeat, Jolloff rice, and the Nigeria national football team, Super Eagles. The people of our two countries have crossed thousands of miles of mountains and oceans, by the light of the movies, and have become families that know and appreciate each other.

“The prosperity of civilisation and human progress will not be possible without enhancing common ground, openness and inclusiveness as well as exchange and mutual learning and reserving differences among them.”

According to her, Chinese President Xi Jinping, had pointed out at the opening ceremony of 8th FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) Ministerial Conference, that China would promote cultural and people-to-people exchange program, “with which we will hold African film festivals in China and Chinese film festivals in Africa.”

“This year’s China Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria, aims to practice the Global Civilisation Initiative, to implement the China-Africa cultural and people-to-people exchange program. This Film Festival is also to strengthen China-Nigeria cultural exchanges and film-making cooperation, so as to share Chinese harmony and perform Nigeria-China symphony, and enhance the mutual comprehension between our two countries.

“I hope that, taking the China Film Festival as an opportunity, the flowers of Chinese and Nigerian civilisation will blossom in the new era, and that the garden of world civilisations will flourish even better,” she added.