Against the backdrop of President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent visit to China, Gboyega Alaka takes a look at the growing number of Chinese living in Nigeria and attempts to unravel the attraction of the world’s most populous people to Africa’s most populous nation.
The first impression you get every time you attempt to strike a conversation or any form of interaction with a Chinese on a Lagos street is fear, and suspicion. And it does not really matter whether it’s in the Computer Village, the Chinese Village or in the comfort of their offices. Next, is a quick attempt at a get-away from the dark-skinned stranger, whose mission they very surely cannot trust. In most cases, they retreat into their shells and quicken their pace to match up with their Chinese brothers (they usually walk the streets in groups). And if by any stroke of luck you manage to surmount this hurdle and get them to give some calculated response, the next hurdle is the language barrier; this is as tall as the real Chinese Wall!
Communication breakdown
The language barrier is a bigger barrier that can make mincemeat of any success in the adventure. A good number of these Asians can hardly string a simple sentence of English together. At the Chinese Village in Ketu, Lagos, they make use of their Nigerian sales assistants and staff, who have managed to strike a conversational chord with them, to get along in transacting their businesses. This extends even to the formal sectors, where they have continued to grow in strength. The Chinese have huge interests in companies like StarTimes, CCECC, a construction firm, Tecno, Huawei, both technology and telecommunications firms, WAHUM, to mention a few. A ‘no speak English’ or ‘No sabi English’ response from them, therefore, usually marks a frustrating and disappointing ‘end of discussion.’
The question is: since they can’t speak English, why do they continue to troop into Africa’s most populous country? Unlike what many may believe, China is not in any known economic distress. It is in fact the world’s leading economy at the moment.
A cursory check shows that the number of oriental Asians, particularly the Chinese, has been on the increase, especially since the beginning of the new democracy. While an inability to speak English does not necessarily cast a question mark on their literacy status, it nevertheless raises a big question mark on their readiness to integrate.
The tie that binds
Interestingly, Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China first established diplomatic relations on February 10, 1971; but it wasn’t until the last two decades that the relationship grew, primarily because of international isolation and Western condemnation of the then Nigerian military regime. While it has also been said that the Chinese government’s foray into Nigeria is driven by an insatiable thirst for her oil (China has acquired a considerable chunk of Nigeria’s oil wells), her support to Nigeria in the area of economy, infrastructural development and military are prominent. Bilateral trade between both countries reached $3 billion in 2006, up from $384 million in 1998, culminating in two state visits by its former president, Hu Jintao. Both nations also signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a strategic partnership, whilst China on its part has supported Nigeria’s bid for a seat in the U.N. Security Council. More recently, China also pledged to invest $267 million to help build the Lagos Lekki Free-trade Zone. According to the Heritage Foundation (China Global Investment Tracker Interactive, January 2012), China’s net investment in Nigeria reached $15.42 billion by 2012.
With such huge investment, it is little wonder that her people have seemingly discovered a haven in Nigeria. In developing a solid relationship with one of Africa’s top three economies, it might be said that China is also opening up overseas market for its very buoyant production sector. But the relationship has not come without its sore points, as China has been accused of flooding the Nigerian market with cheap goods, especially textiles. Combined with the importation of second hand clothes from Europe, China’s action is said to be responsible for the closure of 65 textile mills and the laying-off of over 150,000 textile workers across the country.
Aside their incursion into the formal sectors, such as construction, rail development, energy and telecommunications, the Chinese continue to be very visible even in retail trade and hospitality business, especially with their trade mark China-Towns and Chinese Villages and numerous hotels and restaurants.
According to Shaohua, 25, who runs a clothing store in Chinese Village and also goes by the local name ‘Tunji’, “Chinese people like to go out of their country to do business and make money.” In his smattering English, he explains that his people are driven by an inherent mercantile nature. Shaohua, with a rich sense of humour, was the first Chinese to open up to being spoken to. Ostensibly, he was also in a good mood, as he was chatting and laughing with a couple of Nigerian sales-girls, who were equally having fun taunting him. Without any prodding, he volunteered in between dabbing at his bloodied nose, ‘Catarrh e too much for Nigeria.’ He has a wife and a kid back home in China, and has only been in Nigeria for two years. Of business, he says, “It is sometimes good, and sometimes bad.” On this wet afternoon, business seemed visibly low, as few people were seen moving from one shop to the other. He disclosed that the turnout of customers to the village can be very low every time it rains. He revealed proudly that he has also learnt to eat and enjoy Nigerian foods, such as potato, pepper-soup, fried rice and chicken, and corn. Well, he’s a bit familiar with corn, since it is also grown back home in China, and rice as well. Of Nigerian women, Shaohua thinks ‘they’re good.’ This, of course, he said after some furtive glances at the reporter.
He was asked if he lives among Nigerians and if he patronised public transport? “Me enter bus go Oshodi,” was his gleeful response, choosing to begin with the latter question. He, however, said he does not live in town and cannot because of “thief plenty for Nigeria.” According to him, owning an apartment in town is too risky, as his house could be looted while he is at work. And so, he lives within the enclave of the Chinese Village and he is happy.
The reason for the fear and suspicion is understood. According to one of the salesgirls, the rampant stories of kidnapping and robbery are some other reasons why the Chinese are afraid and prefer to keep to themselves. From Tony, a high school student, who has come to spend his holiday with his father, to the tall and seemingly recluse ‘Smokey Robbinson,’ who is just content with dragging at his cigarette, to Mr Li, who gladly declared himself a half-Chinese-half-Nigerian, and Gohl – a skinny young lad who is glad to announce that he has been to Abuja; it eventually turned out to be an adventure. There is also Sam and Wei, a pleasant Nigerian-Chinese couple, who run shop B10, Uncle Sam & Windy Store on the upper floor of the left wing of the Chinese Village.
Like the Chinese, like the Igbo
At the end of a full day in between the high walls of this Chinese enclave, what became really clear is the seeming resemblance of the Chinese to the Nigerian Igbo people. Like the Igbo, they are very industrious and will go to any length and any part of the world to do anything legitimate to make money. Also like the Igbo, they are not necessarily bothered by a quest for western education, and they have a deep passion for trading. Most importantly, they do not shy away from production. The Chinese are masters at fabricating popular products, a trait common amongst the Igbo. Whether it’s in core technology such as machinery and spare parts production or in fabric manufacturing, the Chinese are well at home. The good thing of course is that both groups are steadily improving, except of course the Chinese are way ahead, due largely to the support they enjoy from their home government.
Also, age is no barrier for a Chinese when it comes to owning or running a business. Gohl, for instance, looked to be in his teenage years, but already he has made the long trip to Nigeria. He practically runs the big fabric shop in the ‘village;’ something you can only find amongst the Igbo in Nigeria. And to top it up, he has been to Abuja!
As demonstrated by Wei, the Chinese half of the Nigerian-Chinese couple, if the Chinese can overcome the phobia of mixing with the locals, they have the ability to quickly learn the vocabulary of their host community. And this is another major similarity to the Igbo. It was thus a pleasant surprise to hear a Chinese woman utter with total fluency ‘e wole’ and ‘ki lefe,’ two Yoruba expressions for ‘Please come in’ and ‘what do you want?’
The half-Chinese, half-Nigerian
Mr. Li is in his early fifties and sells mainly children clothing. He’s been around since 2002, when the ever-bustling Awolowo Road China Town in Ikoyi used to be the beehive of Chinese-Nigerian trading activities, and declared gleefully that he is half-Chinese, half-Nigerian. He is at home with Nigerian foods – or so he thinks, since he eats potato, yam and corn. However, for someone who has spent over ten years in Lagos, his level of English competence appeared to be very low. He apparently has not mixed well enough, and the suspicion still lurks in his eyes. But Li does not think so. “By simply looking at Nigerians, I can tell whether they are Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa,” adding that he has remained in Nigeria for so long because he already feels some kind of brotherly attachment to the people. He laments that business has nose-dived in recent time, compared to the good old days on Awolowo Road.
And as for Tony who has come to spend his high school holidays with his father, the attraction is the weather and the lure to see new lands. Tony will be going back to China soon, but promises to be back. Already, he seems to enjoy some level of popularity with the Nigerian girls in the complex, with whom he exchanged banters.
An amazing Nigerian-Chinese couple
Wei, a delightful Chinese lady, beckons customers to her shop with her seamless rendition of ‘E wole.’ Considering how herculean it was to find an English-speaking Chinese all-day, it was indeed like a jackpot meeting Wei. She is married to Samuel Musa, a Nigerian, since 2006. She announced proudly that she also speaks pidgin English, a smattering Igbo language and can exchange greetings in Hausa. Not just that. She is also a master in Nigerian culinary: “I cook egusi, okro, vegetable soup, stew and I also pound yam, prepare amala and semo.” They got legally married at the Ikoyi Registry in Lagos. Wei declared amidst smiles that her attraction to Sam was his openness. “He is different; he is straightforward and open, like Chinese men.”
On his part, Sam, who hails from the Eggon tribe in Nasarawa State, said aside the wedding in Lagos, they also went to China to consummate the union with Wei’s people. He met her at the Awolowo Road China Town, through her sister, whom he used to patronise; fell in love with her and today they have two kids: a boy and a girl. As an in-law and as a businessman who trades in adult and children clothing, Sam revealed that he visits China regularly and confessed that the Chinese are indeed a very friendly people. “They welcome visitors a lot, but they don’t like to be cheated,” he said. Because he is married to one of them, Sam is well trusted amongst the Chinese in the complex and says he and Wei are sometimes called in to help with interpretation and other knotty issues. Wei, by the way, also speaks French.
Language barrier and insecurity
Explaining why they look restrained in mixing with Nigerians, Wei said, “You know, outside is not safe because of cases of armed robbery and all sorts of violence. And because most hardly speak English or know anyone, the tendency is for them to be afraid and feel insecure. So the Chinese Village provides them with that security, neighbourliness and rest of mind.”
She observed that the Chinese cannot be compared to the Lebanese or Indians, who are more used to the system and speak English and French very well. Even as recently as two days before the reporter’s visit, the Immigration officials were at the complex in search of illegal immigrants.
Sam added that the fear is not unfounded. Not too long ago, one of them was kidnapped. According to him, “Initially, some of them lived outside the complex, but when armed robbers attacked them, they returned to the village. Last year, a Chinese lady was viciously attacked by a customer, whom she had taken into her warehouse within the complex and over N300,000 was taken away from her. When you add these to the huge language barrier and the fact that they feel very vulnerable, then you will understand why most of them choose to live inside the village. Even most of those that work for several other Chinese companies outside the village, including the construction company, CCECC, live here.”
Sam emphasised that most Chinese inability to speak English isn’t necessarily a mark of illiteracy. His wife Wei, for instance, is a graduate of Chemistry. “It’s not just their lingua franca; but they recognise the power of the English language for integration and have employed the English and the Americans to teach them the language back home in China. If you go to Beijing, Shanghai or even Gwanzo, you’ll find a lot of them speaking English.”
On business in the village
“As you can see business is down; unlike in those days at Awolowo Road or even when we just moved here. Things took a downward turn when the place was shut down right after the late Stella Obasanjo died. You know she officially commissioned this place and gave us a lot of support to flourish. It was re-opened about six months later, but it has never really regained that tempo.” Sam lamented.
To buttress his point, he revealed that he ordinarily used to have in his employ an average of eight sales assistants, but now, he can only manage about four. He added that the coming of the Chinese, whether to the formal sector or the informal sector, has helped in reducing the level of unemployment in the country. “No one can deny that organisations like StarTimes, Tecno, CCECC and other Chinese trading stores have provided employment for thousands of Nigerians,” he reasoned.
On the allegation of substandard goods/products
He dismissed the perception that Chinese are manufacturers of fake good. “That’s not true. Goods are made to specification and people only get what they request and pay for. Even Europeans and Americans go there (to China) to place orders for different kinds of specifications and they get them because over there, labour is cheap. So it’s your money that counts.” He added that officials of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria were at the complex recently and Sam and Windy’s store was given a clean bill of health, so it’s not everybody that brings in substandard goods. Using their shop as a reference therefore, Sam insists that quality goods abound.
Sam would also want people to view the whole issue of standard from the angle of affordability. “At least they bring in what is affordable. Some people can only afford the cheap stuffs and they only oblige them by making available what they can afford. At the same time, they make top-notch quality; and it’s your financial power and tastes that eventually determine what you go for.
