Former Nigerian Ambassador to China Victor Chibundu has highly spoken of the relationship between China and Nigeria and said his country owed a debt of gratitude to the country's forerunners.

Chibundu made the remarks in a statement to Xinhua on Friday ahead of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries proposed to visit Nigeria.

The former diplomat, also the Chairman of Nigeria-China Friendship Association, said the founders of the two countries' relations fought hard amidst disdain from colonialists.

China remains one of the most treasured partners with Africa, particular with Nigeria, in foreign relations, he said in the statement.

Chibundu said things almost started on a bright note for the two countries when the then Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, the late Jaja Wachukwu voted in favor of the motion to admit People's Republic of China to the United Nations at the general assembly decades ago.