Covid-19 Impacts on China-Nigeria Education and Cultural Exchanges
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Date
2022-09-27
Authors
Banwo, A. O.
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Africa & Diaspora Discourse, A Journal of the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos.
Abstract
The rapid development and modernization of China today have pushed it into the realm of an economic global power that is facilitating investment in many countries of the world including Nigeria. Nigeria, a resource-endowed country has become the largest trading partner for China, making them bedfellows with their different agendas and programs. China’s investment in Nigeria goes beyond resources, it is well exhibited by inviting Nigerian students to learn and imbibe Chinese education and knowledge first-hand. The outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China posed a threat to the cultural and educational exchange programs that exist between China and Nigeria. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to identify how the Coronavirus epidemic has affected or influenced the cultural and educational exchange programs between China and Nigeria. Data for this paper were obtained using the historical descriptive method and content analysis was used to study this work. Certain factors such as diplomacy, aid, soft power, skill transfer, acquisition, and development were selected for study in this work. This research work adopts the Social Exchange Theory as the framework to comprehend this study and ascertains that certain states make calculations to gain more benefits from their actions. It argues that Chinese investment in the Nigerian educational sector goes beyond any form of sympathy or empathy but it hinges on the platform of certain rewards, values, gains, benefits, human learning, social progress, and international cooperation. It discerns that a good educational background can help Nigerians create wealth and employment opportunities while eliminating poverty and crime rates. Thus, China-Nigerian educational exchanges have the full prospects of a positive policy aimed at alleviating the challenges of Nigeria. This work concludes that Chinese investment in Nigerian education aims to bolster bilateral cooperation between the two countries while aiding China’s show of its soft power in the continent.
Keywords: Diplomacy, soft power, Skill transfer, Acquisition, and Development.
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Citation
Banwo A. O (2022). Covid-19 Impacts on China-Nigeria Education and Cultural Exchanges, Africa & Diaspora Discourse, A Journal of the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos, Vol. 4, ISSN: 2705-4268-9-7772705-426003.