Chinese engineer made Nigerian tribal chief for role in development
- Emir of Jiwa confers honour on construction company employee to thank him for helping to improve infrastructure in the capital Abuja
A man from central China has been made a Nigerian tribal chief for his contribution to infrastructure development in the African country.
Kong Tao, 34, was granted the title by the Emir of Jiwa district in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, last month, nine years after he was sent by his employer to the city as an assistant engineer responsible for a railway project, Dahe Daily reported on Sunday.
Kong, from Puyang in Henan province, is now general manager of the operation division of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation’s Nigerian branch.
Over the years, Kong and his team had built two major railways in Abuja, repaired two public roads, built three buildings for a school and a soccer field for a village, the report said.
Kong told the Beijing Times the emir, Alhaji Idris Musam ,had wanted to express his gratitude for the benefits his work had brought to the area and the numerous jobs the company’s projects had created.
“China’s having a bigger influence,” Kong said. “Local residents … want to keep good relations with China.”