UNIZIK Student Faith Emmanuel Bags Global Chinese Language Prize

Faith Emmanuel, a brilliant student hailing from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), has achieved remarkable success by securing the Global Third Prize at the 25th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students. The prestigious event took place in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.

Emmanuel, known by her Chinese name Lu Xingyao, represented the Confucius Institute at UNIZIK. She was one of 157 contestants drawn from 138 countries who vied for top honours in the global contest. The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria extended its felicitations to Emmanuel via a Facebook post on Friday, commending her as an “outstanding Nigerian youth” and celebrating her significant accomplishment. The embassy's message highlighted, “Faith Mba Emmanuel (Chinese name: Lu Xingyao), a student of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), who stood out among 157 contestants from 138 countries to win the Global Third Prize.”

What makes Emmanuel’s achievement particularly extraordinary is that she only commenced her Chinese language studies from scratch in March 2025, according to a statement released by Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The university pointed out that many of her fellow competitors had dedicated five or six years, with the longest-serving participant having studied the language for up to 15 years. Additionally, some contestants possessed the advantage of having lived or studied in China for extended periods. Despite her limited experience of less than one and a half years, Emmanuel skillfully navigated through successive rounds of the competition, first earning a place among the Global Top 30, before ultimately clinching the Global Third Prize. Her success marks her as the 12th contestant from the UNIZIK Confucius Institute to reach the “Chinese Bridge” Global Top 30 since 2018.

According to the university, Emmanuel’s stellar performance was a testament to her deep passion for the Chinese language, consistent hard work, and confident stage presence. Qin, a representative quoted in the article, remarked, “Faith Mba Emmanuel’s journey is not only a story of courage, perseverance and diligence, but also a vivid reflection of the determination of Nigerian youth to pursue their dreams and embrace challenges.”

The “Chinese Bridge” competition serves as a platform for students from across the globe to demonstrate their proficiency in the Chinese language and showcase their understanding of Chinese culture. This latest triumph further enhances the impressive track record of the UNIZIK Confucius Institute in the competition. Since 2018, its participants have collectively secured three African championships, four Global First Prizes, and four Global Third Prizes, with a total of 12 contestants making it to the Global Top 30.

Earlier in the competition, Prof. Yu Zhangbao, the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, expressed his confidence in Emmanuel’s capabilities as she progressed. He stated, “We look forward to seeing Faith maintain her excellent form, advance even further in the upcoming rounds, and achieve greater success.” He also noted that her participation would play a role in showcasing “the talent, confidence and determination of Nigerian youth on the global stage.” The Chinese Embassy further extended its congratulations to UNIZIK and its Confucius Institute team, viewing Emmanuel’s achievement as a clear indication of the flourishing people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Nigeria and China.