Travelogue in this special edition transports us to the Chinese city of Guangzhou, which hosts the largest community of African businessmen in Asia.
In Guangzhou, there are said to be about 200,000 Africans, increasing by 30 to 40% every year. The local Chinese population says the language skills of these African are poor but they have sharp business minds. These businessmen in Guangzhou have built the largest African community in Asia.
You may regard it as a two way exchange- Chinese companies enter Africa, Africa businessmen go to China, with the Chinese of course having the upper hand. Afterall, China is regarded the “world’s factory” for manufacturing. Not surprisingly, the African businessmen mostly ship cheap manufactured goods to Africa.
Most of them travel between Africa and China once or twice a year, or as often as once a month, buying goods to sell in shops at home
EMMA OJUKWU
Belongs to a minority that could be regarded as “big businessmen” who actually own their own offices in contrast to the itinerant Africans in the small villages within Guangzhou.
Actually, Emma is also the head of the Nigerian Association of businessmen in Guangzhou. The association has the backing of the Nigerian embassy in China. The association performs some social functions such as collecting money for medical care of colleagues who are sick, and helping newcomers with living arrangements.
Ojukwu stresses that the association not only assists his fellow countrymen, it also helps Chinese handle difficult situations, arising out of interaction with African businessmen.
Photo is of a Chinese businessman who with Ojukwu’s help, was able to recover money that had been conned. Says Emma “it not easy being the association leader as one gives much more than one receives.”