by Olatunji Saliu
ABUJA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 65 Nigerian students were on Wednesday accorded a grand welcome upon their return to Nigeria after completing the scholarship program in China.
The students, sponsored by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), were welcomed with overwhelming applause, heart-touching speeches, and warm embraces, during a colorful ceremony at the head office of the Chinese construction firm in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.
The scholarship program, facilitated by collaborative efforts between the Nigerian government, the CCECC, and two Chinese universities, aimed to promote academic exchange and foster stronger ties between the two countries.
Speaking at the ceremony, Magdalene Ajani, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, expected the graduates to play a critical role in the current efforts of the government in upgrading the transportation system, especially the railway sub-sector.
Ajani said the effective and efficient transportation system and its related infrastructure assets are the backbone and enablers of national economic growth and development. And the government realizes the need to have indigenous transportation experts in line with global trends.
"This feat cannot be accomplished without knowledge sharing and indigenous professionals who will not only develop the requisite skills but will also domesticate it," she said, thanking the Chinese government and the Chinese company for making this training program a great success.
Cui Jianchun, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, told Xinhua after the ceremony that the scholarship program is a model for deepening cooperation and exchanges in talent cultivation between China and Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative, representing in-depth cooperation between China and Nigeria.
He expected the graduates to make full use of what they have learned in China, to play an important role in the development of their country, and also help promote mutual understanding and trust between the peoples of the two countries.
Brimming with excitement and gratitude, representatives of the returning students shared tales of personal growth, academic excellence, and cultural immersion during their five-year stay in China while appreciating the support of the Chinese and Nigerian governments.
"During our study at Chang'an University, we not only experienced the Chinese culture and felt the breadth and depth of the Chinese culture but also understood that seeing is better than hearing," said Mustapha Hamisu, one of the returning students. "We actively participated in social practice, entered rural areas in Shaanxi, performed literary and artistic performances, supported teaching, and worked with Chinese classmates to bring joy to left-behind children in China."
Among the 65 returnees, 49 are undergraduates and 16 are postgraduate students, majoring in civil engineering, transportation engineering, and road, bridge and river-crossing engineering, to mention a few.
While congratulating the returning students on a successful academic journey in China, Zhang Zhichen, chairman of the CCECC Nigeria Limited, expressed his wishes and readiness to have the students work in the Chinese construction firm to shape and solidify their professional experience and contribute to the development of their country, as well as the friendship and cooperation between China and Nigeria.
Having established itself as a top international brand in Nigeria in the past 40 years of localization, the CCECC handles mainly road, bridge, and railway projects. Local employment has greatly contributed to the company's rapid development in Africa's most populous country. ■