Local Chinese Businessman in Lagos Awarded Second Nigerian Chieftancy Title

For the second time in just three years, Chinese expatriate businessman Liu Zhiyong has been granted an honorary chieftaincy title in Nigeria’s Lagos state. Liu received his latest title last month from Chief Gbobaniyi (photo) for his contributions to the local economy and development in Lagos State. 

Although these titles are purely ceremonial, the optics of Chinese nationals being recognized in such a way by local chiefs in West Africa, mostly in Ghana and Nigeria, often sparks an angry response on social media from Africans and those in the diaspora who regard this kind of recognition as an inappropriate cultural intrusion.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
4
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
5
Thailand in Last-Minute U.S. Talks as 36% Tariff Looms
6 Trump’s Contradictory Iran Strategy Leaves U.S. Weaker After War’s End, Says Chinese Commentator

You Might Like

Even China’s Once Stodgy State-Owned Enterprise Executives Are Now on Twitter

Executives from China’s publicity-shy state-owned enterprises are following the lead of Chinese diplomats in Africa by setting up new Twitter accounts. Last week Kong Tao, the general manager of rail operations ...

A Chinese Woman Gets a Ceremonial Chieftancy in Nigeria and the Internet Goes Berserk

A well-known Nigerian chieftain in Lagos bestowed honorary chieftaincy titles on three foreign nationals and nine Nigerians earlier this month to commend them for their contributions to economic development in Lagos ...

Chinese Man Awarded Honorary Chieftan Title in Central Nigeria

The chief of the central Nigerian town of Keffi in Nasarawa State awarded a local chieftain title to the Shandong native Cong Hui (丛辉) in appreciation of his contributions to economic development in ...

Postcards From China: The Same, but different

By Hannah Ryder, Deputy Country Director for China, United Nations Development Program I’m entering into my fourth week here in Beijing, and one of the experiments I tried last weekend was to order ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP