Stakeholders: China Has No Ulterior Motives in Africa, Urge Stronger Media Collaboration

By Iyojo Ameh

Stakeholders from the diplomatic, academic, and media communities have dismissed narratives suggesting China harbors a hidden agenda in Africa. They made this assertion during the Media Executives Forum and Book Launch held Wednesday at the China Cultural Center in Abuja, where veteran journalist Raphael Oni unveiled his new book, Balancing the Narrative: China-Africa Relations.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Oni who recently completed a four month media training program in China explained that the book was inspired by his firsthand experiences and research. “China is not a taskmaster. It is not a slave driver, and it is not about debt traps,” Oni stated. “It is indeed a friend of Africa.”

He emphasized the need for African journalists to actively counter prevailing Western narratives that often misrepresent Sino-African relations. “We must begin to tell our own stories accurately and responsibly,” he said, urging for deeper collaboration between African and Chinese media.

Oni’s book details China’s infrastructural and capacity-building contributions across Africa, including roads, railways, airports, and scholarship programs. His goal, he said, is to rebalance skewed portrayals and promote informed perspectives on international partnerships.

Among the dignitaries present were foreign diplomats, media executives, scholars, and government representatives.

Delivering the book review, Prof. Sheriff Ghalib Ibrahim of the Department of Political Science, University of Abuja, praised Oni’s work as both timely and vital. He began by lauding the author’s effort to challenge the outdated colonial notion that Africans do not read or write.

“Raphael, you have helped debunk that colonial assertion that says if you want to hide something from Africans, put it in a book. This work proves that not only are Africans reading, they are also writing their own stories,” Prof. Ibrahim said.

He criticized the continued reliance on Western voices in international media coverage of African issues. “It annoys me to see global platforms like CNN or BBC discussing African conflicts without African experts. Instead, they bring in analysts from Western think tanks who claim to know more about the Sahel or ECOWAS than our own scholars.”

Prof. Ibrahim commended Balancing the Narrative for intellectually confronting these disparities and for grounding its arguments in historical context. He cited the 1955 Bandung Conference as the ideological foundation for China-Africa cooperation, where nations from both continents united against imperialism and colonial domination.

The book, he noted, presents detailed case studies of China’s engagement with countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania—highlighting projects such as the recently completed Magufuli Bridge, built entirely by Chinese engineers.

Prof. Ibrahim also addressed misconceptions around issues like Taiwan, human rights, and China’s governance model. “Taiwan is not a sovereign nation. Even the UN and the United States recognize it as part of China. Yet some Western media still report otherwise,” he said.

He described China as a country built on constitutionalism and discipline, in contrast to the often chaotic enforcement of law in other societies. “Chinese society respects rule of law, and that’s why they’re among the most disciplined people in the world,” he added.

Chris Isiguzo, President of the African Union of Journalists, called on Nigerian political leaders to emulate China’s long-term planning and development driven governance. He also advocated for stronger media cooperation between African and Chinese journalists.

Similarly, Ambassador Alfredo Miranda of Mexico, alongside representatives from the High Commissions of Sierra Leone and Malaysia, praised the publication and encouraged the Nigerian media to promote cross-cultural understanding through accurate and ethical journalism.

The forum concluded with a consensus that China remains a steadfast partner in Africa’s development journey. Speakers urged African media practitioners to take the lead in reshaping public discourse and fostering mutual understanding through investigative and fact-based reporting.

As the book’s title suggests, Balancing the Narrative is not just about China but it’s about reclaiming the African voice in global conversations.
Other books launch are: The Diplomatic Correspondent and The Author’s Blueprint: How to Write, Publish and Succeed by same author.