For helping to build infrastructure over nearly a decade, a Chinese rail engineer has been made a tribal chief in the capital of Nigeria.
Screen shot of the article in South China Morning Post
Kong Tao, a manager for China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC), is now the honorary Emir of Jiwa district in Abuja.
The chieftainship is permanent, but Kong, 34, said it was more of "an honour and responsibility" and that he wouldn’t actually rule the local populace.
Hailing from Puyang in Henan province, Kong arrived in Nigeria nine years ago, reports South China Morning Press (SCMP).
Since then, his team has built two railways in Abuja, repaired two public roads, built three school buildings and a village soccer field.
Kong told the Beijing Times the emir, Alhaji Idris Musam wanted to express gratitude for the benefits his work had brought.
He is not the first Chinese national to be given this kind of honour in Nigeria.
SCMP reports that in December, Li Manhu, of state-owned construction company CGCOC Group, received the same honour from the Emir of Etung in southern Nigeria’s Cross River.
In 2001 Hu Jieguo became the first Chinese expatriate to be named an honorary tribal chief in Nigeria
