In the heart of Akpro-Misserete, a small town roughly 40 kilometres from Cotonou, the sounds of feet pounding the earth and unified shouts of “Hay-Hah!” fill the air.
Inside a modest martial arts club, students of all ages follow the lead of Damien Agossou Degbo, a 53-year-old martial arts master and cultural ambassador.
Degbo is not just teaching Kung Fu and Tai Chi. He is leading a cultural movement rooted in discipline, self-mastery, and mutual understanding. For him, Chinese martial arts are more than a form of physical training. They are a lifestyle and a way to connect Benin with the centuries-old traditions of China.
His journey began at age 13 in the town of Dangbo. School holidays were spent watching martial arts films starring Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan at a cinema in Porto-Novo. That early fascination with Chinese fighting techniques soon evolved into a lifelong passion.
“What struck me most was how these actors defended themselves,” Degbo recalled. “The grace, the strength, the philosophy behind each movement … it spoke to me.”
He joined a private Kung Fu club in Porto-Novo and, years later in 2009, enrolled in Chinese language and culture classes at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Cotonou. By 2010, he had founded his own martial arts school, Super Shaolin of Benin.
His dream of visiting China came true in 2014 when he received a scholarship to train at the legendary Shaolin Temple. Over three months, he endured a physically demanding routine that tested his limits.
“At Shaolin Temple, training was fast-paced and relentless,” he said. “Back home, we trained three to four times a week. But at Shaolin, it was a way of life.”
Alongside martial arts, Degbo learned Chinese calligraphy, tea preparation, meditation, and traditional medicine. The experience deepened his understanding of Chinese philosophy and Buddhist teachings.
In 2015, he returned to China to study traditional performance arts such as the lion and dragon dances. Today, he teaches these skills in Benin as part of a larger effort to promote Chinese culture.
“I wanted to pass on what I had learned to empower young people with self-discipline, confidence, and an understanding of another culture,” he said.
Now, his Super Shaolin club trains over 350 students across several regions in Benin. Classes cover Kung Fu, Tai Chi, massage therapy, meditation, and rituals like the tea ceremony and dragon dance.
One of his longtime students, 26-year-old Cherif Deen, credits Kung Fu with shaping his character.
“Kung Fu changed my life,” he said. “It gave me clarity and helped me face life’s challenges with calm and focus.”
Degbo describes the journey as a spiritual rebirth. “Kung Fu taught me self-mastery. It strengthened my mind and body and shaped how I see the world.”
He sees himself not just as a martial arts coach but as a cultural bridge between nations. Through his work, he continues to strengthen ties between Benin and China, one student at a time.
“Sharing Kung Fu with young people gives them insight into the values of Chinese culture: discipline, harmony, respect,” he said. “It opens a window onto another worldview.”
As cultural exchanges grow between the two countries, more individuals like Degbo are helping to weave lasting bonds through martial arts.
