Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Confucius Institute, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, has disclosed how seventeen years old Samuel Miracle, with Chinese name Gu Siyuan, emerged the overall winner of the 12th ‘World Chinese Bridge Competition for Middle School Students’ in Africa held in Henan Province of China.
The institute also disclosed that Samuel’s purpose of studying Chinese language was to learn about electricity since he believed China is very developed and is in leading position in many fields around the world.
The institute further said Samuel competed in the Chinese language competition alongside 120 participants from 105 countries in which he emerged the overall winner.
The competition, according to the institute, held earlier to select the best Chinese language learner in the country, which eventually saw Samuel emerging the winner in the final competition after the rematch stage in China.
Following his emergence during the Chinese language competition, Samuel was awarded a scholarship to study engineering in China.
“He wants to learn and then come back to build Nigeria so that Nigeria will not have a blackout. He whispered, but was firm when he said his goal,” the Confucius Institute of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University said.
Samuel’s emergence followed a similar victory last year by Ding Jiaming, a student of the Confucius Institute at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, who won the African Championship of the 17th ‘World University Chinese Bridge Competition.
Known as the ‘Olympics of Chinese,’ the Chinese Bridge Competition is the highest stage for foreign language learners to compete in language competence and cultural understanding worldwide.
A graduate of Destiny Model School, Ota, Ogun State, the institute further said Samuel began learning Chinese language in October 2018 and soon after he started learning the language, showed distinctiveness.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Samuel said he will solve Nigeria’s power challenge after completing his engineering scholarship in China.
He revealed that his intention to study Chinese language was to enable him learn electrical engineering from China which is a developed country occupying a leading position in the world.
He however assured that upon the completion of his studies, he will return to help tackle the problem of “blackout”.
“After my secondary education, I went to study the Chinese language when I was introduced to the competition by a friend.
“I thought that it was a very good opportunity because it is a language I am really interested in.
“Before I started studying the Chinese language, I always had the dream of becoming an engineer and to be very good in it to help the electricity sector in Nigeria which is a big challenge.
“I will come back to impact in my country because you have not achieved the main goal of studying abroad if you do not return to your country to make an impact.
“I would do everything to help Nigeria, make a change where possible and correct the negative impression that other countries have about Nigeria,” Samuel said.
On his part, Samuel’s lecturer at the Conficius Institute, Mr Zhang Jianle, said his speed and determination at learning the language was commendable.
Zhang added that he was proud to have tutored Samuel, even as he said that following Samuel’s emergence as the overall winner, the institute which participated in the category of the competition for the first time was very proud of clinching the prize.
“It is important to learn Chinese language now because Chinese is getting stronger in the world and more Chinese companies are coming to Nigeria.
“It will help in deepening bilateral ties and interaction in order to enhance communications.
“It would be good to introduce Chinese in Nigerian schools. They have degree courses in Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Chinese Language but should also be introduced at primary level of education,” Zhang said.