An expert on Global South affairs, Mr. Lawal Sale, has called on Nigerians to embrace unity and resilience, drawing lessons from China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression during World War II.
Speaking at a film screening in Abuja organized by the Chinese Embassy to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory, Sale, who is also the publisher of Global South Focus News Online, described the event as both emotional and instructive, stressing that the atrocities of the war remain a painful memory for humanity.
He recalled the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, where over 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers were brutally killed by Japanese forces, noting that Japan has yet to formally admit responsibility for the aggression.
“The resilience the Chinese people showed during that war demonstrated their strength as a nation. Today’s China is a testament to that spirit of unity and perseverance,” he said.
Sale emphasized that Nigeria could draw important lessons from China’s wartime resilience by strengthening national unity.
“The Chinese won because they saw themselves as one Chinese nation. We Nigerians should also see ourselves as one people, not northerners, southerners, or easterners, but one Nigerian nation,” he added.
Highlighting China’s global peacebuilding role, Sale praised Beijing for its consistent contributions to peacekeeping operations and support for the United Nations, while pointing out that China does not instigate conflicts or supply weapons to fuel wars.
He also cited China’s leadership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which was initially established to promote security in Central Asia but has since expanded to include new members from the Middle East and Africa.
“China is the number one peacemaker in the world. Wherever there is conflict, China’s role has been to promote peace and stability. This is a lesson the Global South must embrace,” Sale said.
Earlier, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said the commemoration was not only to honor history and the fallen, but also to reaffirm a commitment to peace and the principles of the United Nations.
He stressed that both China and Nigeria, as leading voices in the Global South, have a responsibility to safeguard the outcomes of World War II and elevate their comprehensive strategic partnership.
The film screening, part of a series of commemorative activities, brought together diplomats, academics, journalists and cultural enthusiasts to reflect on history and reinforce calls for peace and cooperation.
