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Hu Jieguo

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Hu.
Hu Jieguo
Born1948 (age 75–76)
Shanghai, China
NationalityChinese

Nigerian
Other namesJacob C.K. Wood

Baba Ase
Alma materShanghai Jinyuan Middle School
OccupationBusinessman
ParentHu Pieyu

Hu Jieguo (Chinese: 胡杰国; pinyin: Hú jiéguó) (born 1948 whose English name is Jacob Wood) is a Nigerian Chinese chief, businessman and president of the Nigeria Chinese Chamber of Commerce,[1]and an overseas Chinese leader. He is considered to be the first tribal chief of Chinese origin in Africa.[2]

Early years

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Hu Jieguo was born in 1948 and grew up with his mother and siblings in Shanghai. In 1962, he was among the first batch of workers, peasants and soldiers who entered college during the latter part of the Cultural Revolution as he joined Shanghai Jingyuan Middle School. He later graduated in 1972 as an English major and was a teacher at Shanghai Nanhai Middle School for 7 years.[3]

Hu Jieguo's father, Hu Pieyu, had left for Hong Kong which at that time was a British colony to start a textile business. In the 1960s however, due to the economic recession in Hong Kong, he went to Nigeria and has co-opened the largest local textile processing factory in Nigeria. He gained a good reputation in the local area including befriending politicians like Olusegun Obasanjo, who later became president of Nigeria. Hu Pieyu hoped that his son would succeed him, but Hu Jieguo himself was not willing. It was not until 1978 that Feng Yujiu, the then Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, advised Hu Jieguo to travel to Nigeria to reunite with his father.[4][5]

Hu Jieguo worked in a Shangri-La restaurant in Lagos, and soon made it to manager. He then left to study hotel management in Canada. Upon his return to Lagos, he invested $8 million to build the Golden Gate Restaurant and Hotel in 1997.[6][7][8][9]

In business

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With his investment in Golden Gate Restaurants and Hotels, Hu expanded the family's network and strengthened the ties between Chinese and Nigerian companies and politicians.[10]

Since 1998, Hu has helped Chinese companies invest in Nigeria.[10] A 3,000km railway reconstruction and maintenance project undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in Nigeria was negotiated with the help of Hu Jieguo and at the time, was the largest project undertaken by a Chinese enterprise in Africa. Hu also received a delegation from the China National Petroleum Corporation and introduced them to Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.[11][12]

He has additionally worked with Chinese provinces like Shandong to organise commodity fairs, and open industrial estates in Nigeria, thus attracting private Chinese companies.[11]

Chieftaincy

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In 1999, during Obasanjo's presidency and Bola Tinubu's the governorship of Lagos, Hu was involved in the reconstruction and development of more than 20 secondary schools.[13][5]

In 2001, acknowledging Hu’s contributions, the head chief of the Yorubas in Lagos awarded him a chieftaincy title, approved by the governor. At the ceremony, which Hu attended in the traditional attire of the Yoruba, the head chief offered him several titles to choose from. Hu picked Baba Ase, meaning "service chief" saying he wanted to “serve the people in Africa”. Hu remarked at the time that there was nothing extraordinary about the title, except that he could now "see the governor and president" whenever he wanted and stated that the concept of chief was more about ideas, etiquette and honor, and has heavier responsibilities.[3][14]

Hu Jieguo had a great influence on Nigeria's politics and has made many economic contributions. In addition, he can communicate with people proficiently in Hausa.

Hu Jieguo currently has an armed guard of nearly a hundred people specially approved by relevant Nigerian departments and under his full command.[15]

Other works

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In July 2004, the President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Hu Jieguo as presidential adviser, responsible for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and also promote economic and trade exchanges between China and Nigeria. In April 2005, Hu Jieguo accompanied the President of Nigeria on his visit to China. In November 2011,[16]Hu Jieguo was one of the recipients of Nigeria’s 2010-2011 "National Honor Award".[17]

During the 2015 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, Hu Jieguo temporarily closed his newly opened four-star hotel for safety concerns. The President of Liberia requested assistance from China, with China sending reinforcements and medical teams but the team needed accommodation and the capital of Liberia, Monrovia was almost empty and it was difficult to purchase items. On receiving the news, Hu Jieguo, who was in Canada, travelled to Liberia and personally purchased food items for the Chinese medical team.[9]

Hu Jieguo is currently the president of the Nigeria-China Chamber of Commerce,[1] the president of the Nigeria-China Friendship Association[18]and the chairman of the West African Unified Business News.

References

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  1. ^ a b "CHIEF JACOB C.K. WOOD". www.ncbc.com.ng. NIGERIA - CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Chinese chieftain dedicates work to Sino-African friendship". People's Daily Online. 4 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b 天云 (3 February 2019). "从"霸道总裁"到第一位华人酋长" (PDF). Xinmin Evening News (in Chinese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  4. ^ "非洲惟一华人酋长胡介国:在非洲树立中国人形象" (in Chinese). China Huaxia Network. 1 November 2006. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Chinese become chiefs in Nigeria and build 4 local schools". news.sohu.com (in Chinese). 环球时报. 19 November 2016. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  6. ^ "A Possible History of Nigerian Small Chops". Kitchen Butterfly. 27 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Lagos Golden Gate Hotel".
  8. ^ "Golden Gate Hotel Abuja".
  9. ^ a b "Owner of Liberian hotel chain lends a big hand". Africa China daily. 23 January 2015.
  10. ^ a b "China alters its role in world economy diplomacy". NPR. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b "华人酋长胡介国的非洲传奇". www.chinaqw.com (in Chinese). 中国侨网. 10 December 2006. Archived from the original on 14 March 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Nigeria to give China oil rights for investment". NBC news. 26 April 2006.
  13. ^ "How a Former Teacher From Shanghai Became a Successful tribal chief". Next Shark. 10 October 2017.
  14. ^ "There is a Chinese chief in Africa, Hu Jieguo". www.zhongguotongcuhui.org.cn (in Chinese). 中国和平统一促进会. 31 August 2009. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  15. ^ "In 2001, three Chinese were robbed in Africa, and the Chinese chief Hu Jieguo brought a submachine gun to save people". Lai Times. 9 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Obasanjo in China". 27 April 2005.
  17. ^ "Nigeria: National Honours Awards 2010 and 2011 - 309". economiccondidential.com. 10 November 2011.
  18. ^ "Consul General Yan Yuqing Met with Delegates from Nigeria-China Friendship Association". Consulate of the People's Republic of China, Lagos. 9 December 2023.
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