ABUJA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A seminar was held Saturday in Nigeria's capital Abuja to boost the teaching of Chinese language in Africa's most populous country.
The seminar will help promote the cultural exchange between China and Nigeria, according to the one-day event's host, China Cultural Center in Abuja.
Many Chinese and local teachers of Mandarin, especially from the Confucious Institutes in Nigeria, several local colleges and some primary and secondary schools across the west African country, were in attendance.
The discussions focused on three areas: creating a larger platform for Chinese-language teachers to have exchanges on how to improve on the teaching of the language; establishing a bridge between teachers and the local authorities to promote the language; and taking a survey on demand for the study of the Chinese language in Nigeria.
Officials from the federal ministry of education also attended the seminar.
Zhou Pingjian, the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the event that it is necessary as people-to-people exchange has become a very important component and ingredient of China-Nigeria relations.
"In teaching the Chinese language, China and Nigeria have been working together very well," Zhou said.
In Nigeria, the Chinese language is currently taught in two Confucious Institutes and several Nigerian colleges and primary and secondary schools. There are 11 "Chinese Corners" in government-run secondary schools in Abuja.
Nkiru Osisioma, a deputy director at the federal ministry of education, told Xinhua that there is the need to encourage more Nigerian academic institutions to offer Chinese language lessons as a way of deepening relations between Nigeria and China.
"The people's identity is their language, and language also brings two or more persons together. When we both understand our languages, there is more bond; the relationship is closer and warmer," she added.
