Jacob Omotola Angel, an alumna of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Nigeria, has achieved another remarkable milestone by winning the Third Prize and the honorary title of "Excellent Storyteller" at the Grand Final of the 6th "Stories of China Retold in Chinese" International Competition, held in Beijing on 27–28 July 2026
Jacob Omotola Angel, an alumna of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Nigeria, has achieved another remarkable milestone by winning the Third Prize and the honorary title of "Excellent Storyteller" at the Grand Final of the 6th "Stories of China Retold in Chinese" International Competition, held in Beijing on 27–28 July 2026.
Jointly organized by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) and the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), the competition is one of China's most influential international communication events.
Representing Xiamen University, the Chinese partner institution of the Confucius Institute at UNIZIK, Angel distinguished herself among outstanding contestants from around the world, finishing among the Top Six international finalists.
This year's competition attracted more than 170,000 Chinese and international participants. The international student category alone drew 5,078 contestants from 257 Chinese universities representing 149 countries and regions. After an intensive eight-month selection process, only 30 international students advanced to the Grand Final in Beijing.
Angel's achievement marks the best result ever achieved by Xiamen University in the history of this prestigious competition. In recognition of her outstanding performance, she was also specially invited by the organizers to perform a Chinese classical drama at the Awards Ceremony, further highlighting her exceptional Chinese language proficiency and stage presence.
A key factor behind Angel's success was the unwavering dedication of her mentor, Ms. Qiu Nan, a teacher at the Confucius Institute. Having previously coached Angel to win the African Championship and Global Third Prize at the 16th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students in 2023, Ms. Qiu once again provided meticulous guidance throughout this competition.
Despite the seven-hour time difference between Nigeria and China, she continued to mentor Angel online, demonstrating extraordinary commitment and professionalism that played a vital role in this latest achievement.
Angel's success is all the more inspiring considering her background. Unlike many finalists who had lived in China for years or grown up in a Chinese-speaking environment, she began learning Chinese only in 2022, enrolling at the Confucius Institute with no prior knowledge of the language.
Her progress has been extraordinary. Just one year later, she represented Nigeria at the 16th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students, winning the African Championship and ranking third in the world. In September 2024, she began her bachelor's degree in International Chinese Language Education at Xiamen University. Today, she has taken to one of the world's premier stages for international communication, telling China's stories with confidence, fluent Chinese, and deep intercultural understanding.
Angel's accomplishment is not an isolated success but another example of the Confucius Institute's long-standing commitment to cultivating globally competitive talent. Over the years, its alumni have earned numerous international honors, including Harford Michael Kenechukwu, World Champion of the 2018 Chinese Teaching Heroes Competition; Ojimmadu Raphael Ebube, Grand Prize winner of the 3rd Chinese Character Story Contest (2023); Divine Azubuike Chidera, Grand Prize winner of the 6th FLTRP Cup National Intercultural Competence Competition; and Nnabuike Chisom, First Prize winner of the 2025 Chinese Bridge Global Chinese Storytelling Competition.
The Chinese Director, Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Yu Zhangbao in a remark over the latest positive development, noted that beyond international competitions, many alumni of the CI have continued to excel in China and Nigeria.
“Some have been selected as international student representatives to address university opening ceremonies in China; others have completed doctoral studies and returned to Nigeria as university professors, researchers, and academic administrators. Many are now serving as young ambassadors for China–Africa cultural exchange, helping to strengthen mutual understanding between the two peoples”
Each year, before scholarship recipients leave for China, the Confucius Institute shares the same heartfelt message:
"Today, you are proud of the Confucius Institute; tomorrow, may the Confucius Institute be proud of you. Today, generation after generation of outstanding alumni continue to bring those words to life through their achievements. Their success reflects not only the growing strength of Chinese language education at the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, but also the fruitful outcomes of educational cooperation between China and Nigeria”
“Looking ahead, the Institute remains committed to nurturing more young talents who will shine on the global stage, tell China's stories with confidence, promote mutual learning among civilizations, and contribute to even closer people-to-people ties between China and Africa” Prof. Yu stated.
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