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ThisDay correspondent Michael Olugbode has won a 1 million naira meal voucher to mark the 2024 Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in Nigeria.
Olugbode was doubly lucky: after winning the top prize, he was chosen in another draw for WeChat users, which saw him go home with two bottles of an exotic liquor.
The event, which took place on Saturday at the magnificent Silk Road Chinese restaurant, located in the Central Business District of Abuja, was organised by the General Chamber of Commerce of China in Nigeria, in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre and the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria.
Among the prizes won, electronic devices, decoders, food vouchers, health products and much more, there are those won by the Nigerians and Chinese guests of the event.
The corresponding seat for ThisDay, number 59, was chosen for the grand prize of a N1 million meal voucher, as the last draw for the seat after other prizes were drawn.
Speaking about the awards, Michael Olugbode told journalists present at the event that it could only have been arranged by God as he was already thinking of going home after almost all the awards had been won and the event had dragged on for so long.
She said: “Something kept pushing me to wait until the end, especially since I had some colleagues I needed to pick up in my vehicle.
“It was great to win the voucher, and I have to thank the Chinese Embassy, the Cultural Centre, the General Chamber of Commerce of China in Nigeria and Silk Road Restaurant for the two prizes. In fact, they made me an ambassador for Chinese culture and the Mooncake Festival.”
Mooncake Festival, one of the most popular Chinese festivals, was organized in Nigeria to promote and strengthen people-to-people relations between China and Nigeria.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Chinese Embassy in Nigeria cultural counselor Li Xuda said the festival is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture over the past 3,000 years.
He added that the festival represents the harvest season and the idea that hard work brings a fruitful outcome.
He said: “Today’s celebration is very important and significant because the Mid-Autumn Festival, also called ‘Mooncake Day’, is one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals.
“On this festival we celebrate family reunion, friendship and togetherness; as a popular proverb in Nigeria says, united we stand, divided we fall.
“Standing hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we will create a better future that belongs to our people and benefits our two countries.”
He added that: “In the future, China and Nigeria will work together to promote our tangible and intangible cultural heritage and further strengthen our cultural exchange and cooperation.”
Li also noted that the festival was often celebrated annually on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, usually in September or October, when the moon is very full and its size is largest.
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