Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has charged Nigerian athletes preparing for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games to seize opportunity of their mastery of the newly introduced sport – Wushu martial art, to excel at the Games.
Speaking during the grand-finale of the Chinese Ambassador’s Cup Wushu Championship, which held at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, the ambassador described Wushu as a precious treasure of Chinese culture, which promotes not only physical fitness, but also moral values such as respect, discipline and harmony. He said: “Wushu embodies core Chinese values – self-discipline, self-improvement and a commitment to respecting and helping others.”
These values resonate deeply with Nigerian culture, which also cherishes hard work and social harmony.” He added that the event aligned with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilisation Initiative, which promotes mutual learning among civilisations, as well as the outcome of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), where both Presidents Xi and Bola Ahmed Tinubu agreed to strengthen cultural ties and sports exchanges between both countries.
“This championship represents an important step in implementing the Global Civilisation Initiative and fulfilling the consensus reached by our two heads of state.
“Through this event, we hope to promote mutual learning between our civilisations, strengthen people-to-people bonds and lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership”, he noted.
In his remarks, Chairman, National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, commended the Chinese Embassy for its continuous support towards sports development in the country.
Describing Wushu as a growing sport that offers Nigerian youth a new avenue for personal development and national pride, he called for greater support to create another pathway for the youths to actualise their dreams.
At the end of the competition, winners were rewarded with N500, 000, second-placed finishers got N300, 000, while third placed fighters got N200, 000.
