Since the video of the Consul-General of Nigeria in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China, Mr. Wale Oloko, confronting a Chinese official following the maltreatment of Nigerians in China went viral, Nigerians have called for equal treatment for Chinese nationals in Nigeria.
They want the Nigerian government to expel all Chinese out of Nigeria with immediate effect.
In the video, Mr Oloko was seen boldly standing up and defending Nigerians who had ran to the Consulate for safety.
Some even blamed the weakness of the Buhari government for the ill-treatment of Nigerians in a country that has suddenly become the major contractor in Nigeria with their nationals breaching our laws at will.
“Some of these Chinese you see in Nigeria do not have valid travel documents but we condone them because of corruption”, yelled Mark Ndukwe, an international education consultant.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama had summoned the Chinese Consular-General in Nigeria to a meeting but this seems not to be enough for some Nigerians as they have called for expulsion of Chinese from the country in the same manner they disgraced Nigerians out of their homes and hotels in Guangdong Province.
Geoffrey Onyeama
✔@GeoffreyOnyeama
Invited the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Zhou Pingjian to communicate @NigeriaGov‘s extreme concern at allegations of maltreatment of Nigerians in Guangzhou, #China and called for immediate Chinese Govt. intervention. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @DigiCommsNG @NigeriaMFA
Onyeama’s response was prompted by a complaint from a Twitter user, Oluyemi Fasipe (@YemieFash), who had tweeted:
“Hello @GeoffreyOnyeama,
“In case you are not aware, I want to bring to your attention the inhumane conditions Nigerians are being subjected to by China authorities. I have posted some videos earlier and tagged madam @abikedabiri. Here is another one. #ChinaMustExplain https://t.co/SmPrdhYxL8.”
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a message on its Facebook page, said: “The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Geoffrey Onyeama, invited the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Zhou Pingjian to communicate the Nigerian Government’s extreme concern at allegations of maltreatment of Nigerians in Guangzhou, #China and called for immediate Chinese Government intervention.”
Former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has also reacted to the video. He said:
“Whilst Buhari is inviting the Chinese to Nigeria to “help fight Covid 19″, the Chinese Govt. is throwing Nigerians out of their homes, persecuting them, subjecting them to the most vile & despicable human rights abuses & mocking, insulting & humiliating them on a daily basis,” Fani-Kayode decried.
Popular Nigerian singer, Timi Dakolo, also tweeted: “This Nigerian diplomat in China should just return to Nigeria and take up any political office he wants.
“I have never seen any political officer holder defend a Nigerian like this.”
