Africa-China relationship will never be the same. In retribution against China’s most recent abuse of the Afro migrants, a community of Nigerian youths set a Chinese factory ablaze in Nigeria. They also recommended that their government should close Chinese restaurants in the near vicinity and it was done. The flame attack happened in the Free Trade zone in Ogun state, near Lagos, South-West Nigeria.
However much China claims to have a solid relationship with Africa, it has already been soiled to the core. A journey taken unconsciously now has no U-turn. Amends may be discussed, but the damage is already done. China will never erase the images of brutality scarred at the hearts of the Africans nor will they forget what the Africans are doing to their people on African soil.
Consequently, unrest has ignited in recent weeks with China’s xenophobic response to African migrants. Headlines portray photos and accounts of targeted expulsions and companies unwilling to serve Africans in China. National reports recorded a strange case of a Chinese diner in Nigeria closing after the Chinese had refused to serve Nigerians and permitted only entries of their people. In keeping to their marketing strategy, the Hau Fei Restaurant & Mall in Victoria Island, Lagos, was at the center of a widespread uproar as they allegedly provided Nigerians with racial service.
Nigerians claim, according to Nairametrics, the Chinese in Nigeria neither allow them to eat nor order food in their restaurant. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the local reports will remain the global reaction targeting China.
China’s Ties with Africa Increased Western Suspicion
Chinese penetration of Africa got all the superpower countries to raise eyebrows in their comfort zones. Sadly, African leaders turn a blind eye to the Chinese greed and ambition in exchange for a few dimes, at the expense of their citizens’ blood and livelihood. More so, the African leaders easily disregard their children’s future, who might not be as lucky as their predecessors to attain a leadership role tomorrow. They will leave their grandchildren to face the music of ill-blood between Africa and China, the King of the East. Nonetheless, the African youth are not in slumber, hence, they are now rising against China with or without their leaders’ assistance.
In the clip, a novice videographer states that “the youth are angry” and that “enough is enough” and attributes the conflicts to the shortage of food saying “no food anywhere! Their ambition is that Chinese should go.”
The fire resonated from the factory as many on-lookers crowded. The speaker says the police did not lift a finger to deter it. People threw explosives at the glass windows as the owners took cover in the factory. Later, the protestors broke the trucks’ windshields and the explosions blasted the factory’s fences. Certainly, the news that the Chinese are mistreating African settlers in China has affected the black continent by stirring xenophobic hostility – exacerbating friction over the discreet Chinese colonialism intent for Africa.
China Would Have Let the Sleeping Dogs Lie
All involved parties have sown seeds of hatred and revenge, and whoever will reap the upshots, might not live long enough to tell the tale. Africa suffered at the brutal hands of colonialism long before she was conscious enough to realize the western deception. Even now, Africa has not yet healed from her colonial wounds that still ooze out pus due to the Neo-colonialism salt. The entire world has eyed Africa for ages, to feed their insatiable economies of her resources. China comes into the picture, not realizing how long overdue they are, to pull the wool over the Africans now.
Another clip shows a Kenyan beating up a Chinese. The Chinese allegedly labeled all Kenyans monkeys and without fear branded President Uhuru Kenyatta a monkey. Those present could not stand it, hence, the young Kenyan decided to pounce on the Chinese to vent his anger.
Has the time come for the Unification of the African States?
Undoubtedly, divide and rule was the European strategy in the colonial era. The unification of the African states is a dreadful thought. Will that dream come to reality in this era? Considering that Africans are slippery, those who benefit from their disunity might thwart the idea sooner than its realization.
Meanwhile, a Kenyan Senator protests against his government’s approach to China and advocates for all Chinese deportation. Chinese abuse of African citizens has generated a major diplomatic dispute. However, Africans have now publicly opposed Chinese economic intervention. Worldwide analysts have published their solidarity for Nigeria under the videos amid China’s worldwide weakened reputation.
“Africa, come alive. Stop allowing outsiders to decide your future,” remarked one viewer. “The Chinese have not seen anything yet,” said another. A third commented: “My brothers and sisters in Africa, I support you one million percent. Enough is enough–and we are sick and tired of it.”
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