A Professor of English Language, University of Lagos (UniLag), Prof. Chimdi Maduagwu, Wednesday called on the federal government to apply the Chinese “Culture to Technology”, that is, technology derived from that country’s culture to improve the nation’s economy.
Maduagwu, who is also the Director, Confucius Institute of UniLag, made the the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos at the institute’s 2019 Spring and Latern Festival.
NAN reports that Confucius Institute, the centre for the study of Chinese Language, has trained about 10,000 Nigerians in Chinesew language.
He said that culture to technology was one crusade we have to carry out in Nigeria.
According to him, China as a country developed from culture to technology and this we have not realised as a country because we go through the part of the West which is from science to technology but China developed from culture to technology.
“China is a highly traditional society and then has its own culture and a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, and that is culture.
“Technology is how do you take this step and what can help you in making the step faster instead of going to do the mathematics which becomes abstract.
“China will look at the Chinese porcelain from the point of view of clay.
“It is our culture to play with clay and not interested in the molecular formation then twisted in the beauty of clay and how to use the clay in various aspects,” he said.
He said that the Chinese would go ahead to make a pot and try to improve on it to make sure it meets their aesthetic vision.
The professor said that analysing did not relate to our culture and it had stalled development and that it was the reason for the advocacy of culture to technology.
“My advice is that since we are now working with the belt and roll initiative, we will learn how they have done theirs.
“We found out that we have common interest and shared interest and we also have a common vision.
“That human being essentially have specific needs that are universal and specific vision of meeting the needs should also be universal.
“It is through this process that poverty will be eradicated,” he said.
Prof. Wang Yong Jing, Chinese Director of the institute, said that the benefit of learning Chinese language was more for Nigeria.
She said the country’s economy would also benefit because the students could apply for scholarship in China.
“I hope that all of them when they finish their study in China and return, they will be big builders of the economy.
“But if they do not go to China to study many of our students can apply to local Chinese enterprise to work there, so at the same time they are working for both countries and the economic development.
“We hope to help in the economy but we are focusing on the language and the language culture.
“I am sure that Nigerians when they study Chinese culture and language they can become better friends,” she said.
According to her, this friendship can help the economy because many more Chinese enterprises are coming and many more students can work with them and just because of this friendship we can help in other fields.
NAN reports that the Spring Festival is the Chinese New Year known as “Chun Jie”, the most important festival in China which falls on Jan. 1 of Chinese lunar calendar. (NAN)
