By Raphael Oni
After nearly a quarter of a century walking the corridors of power—from the marble halls of the United Nations in New York to the vibrant conference rooms of the African Union in Addis Ababa, and from the Forbidden City in Beijing to the Presidential Villa in Abuja—I have learned one immutable truth: the media is not merely a witness to history; it is a participant. When the media participates in misinformation, whether through ignorance or design, it does not merely record a wrong turn—it leads the public straight into a ditch.
Let me speak plainly, as a journalist who has seen diplomatic fictions collapse and actual realities prevail. The recent attempts by a handful of Nigerian journalists to lend credibility to Taiwan’s separatist ambitions are not just professionally embarrassing—they are a betrayal of the public trust. They demonstrate a dangerous ignorance of the world order and a susceptibility to manipulation that should alarm every media house on this continent.
Understanding the World Order: A Primer for Journalists
The modern world order is not a mysterious maze. It is built on clear foundations: the UN Charter, the principle of sovereign equality, and the inviolability of territorial integrity affirmed by Resolution 2758 (1971). Taiwan is not a country.It has never been a member of the United Nations. It holds no seat in any specialized UN agency. It has no independent sovereignty under international law.
These are not political opinions—they are legal facts. Any journalist who travels to Taipei and returns to write as if these facts do not exist is not reporting; they are either misled or complicit in propaganda.
The world order also recognizes the reality of power and interests. Some advanced countries pays lip service to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait. This act has been systematically arming the Taipei authorities, to continue in error. This is not about democracy—it is about containing China’s rise. Africa, which has no interest in becoming a pawn in great-power competition, the continent knows that truth, no wonder 53 out of 54 stands on the truth.
I have covered enough diplomatic operations to recognize a classic lobbying campaign when I see one. The Taiwan authorities deploy a well-funded, sophisticated playbook:
Media seduction: Journalists are invited on all-expenses-paid trips, wined and dined, and presented with glossy narratives about “democracy” and “resilience.” The reality of Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation, its lack of UN recognition, and its status as a province of China is carefully concealed.
Economic lures: Taiwan offers favorable trade deals, scholarships, and “development assistance” to the few countries—now only Eswatini in Africa—that maintain formal ties. This is not partnership; it is a purchase of recognition.
Cultural camouflage: “Taiwan” is presented as a distinct culture, language, and identity, obscuring the historical and legal reality that Taiwan has always been Chinese territory, inhabited by Chinese people, and governed under Chinese sovereignty.
The visiting Nigerian journalists fell for this playbook. They returned to Nigeria talking about “relocating the trade office to Abuja,” apparently unaware that Nigeria closed the so-called Taiwanese Trade Mission in January 2017 precisely because the One-China Principle does not allow for diplomatic representation of a non-sovereign entity. This is not a matter of opinion—it is Nigerian law and policy. As such the administration of the late President Buhari corrected the diplomatic blunder.
Let me be blunt: Africa has been manipulated before. During the Cold War, we were pawns in a game between Washington and Moscow. We paid the price in civil wars, coups, and economic devastation. We learned that lesson the hard way.
We must not allow ourselves to be manipulated again this time by a separatist regime in Taipei, backed by some advance countries seeking to drag us into a conflict that is not ours. Fifty-three out of fifty-four African nations have made their choice. The African Union has made its position clear. The Beijing Declaration of FOCAC 2024 reaffirms the continental commitment. Eswatini stands alone not because it has a better argument, but because it has been bought. The rest of Africa knows the truth.
I have spent years on this beat. I have seen regimes fall and alliances shift. I have covered the Arab Spring, the end of apartheid, and the rise of China as a global partner for Africa. Through it all, one principle has guided me: “the truth must come first.”
The truth is that Taiwan is part of China. The truth is that the One-China Principle is recognized by the United Nations and the overwhelming majority of countries. The truth is that the so-called “Taiwan independence” movement is a separatist project that threatens peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
The truth is also that China has been a consistent, reliable partner for Africa—building roads, railways, hospitals, and schools; providing vaccines during the pandemic; and respecting our sovereignty without the condescension that so often accompanies Western engagement. To undermine this relationship for the sake of a few free plane tickets and photo opportunities with Taiwanese officials is not just wrong, it is against the stand of Africa as a whole.
To my fellow journalists in Nigeria and across Africa: I urge you to do your homework. Understand the legal framework. Read UN Resolution 2758. Study the Cairo Declaration. Know that the “Republic of China” ceased to exist in 1949, and the People’s Republic of China has been the sole legitimate government representing all of China—including Taiwan—ever since.
Do not be seduced by junkets. Do not be manipulated by narratives designed to deceive. And above all, do not become tools of a separatist agenda that has no future, no legal standing, and no support from the international community.
The world order is not complicated. It is built on sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the rule of law. The media must be its guardian, not its gravedigger.
