Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, has lambasted Kemi Badenoch, the United Kingdom Conservative leader of Nigerian heritage, for making misleading statements regarding Nigerian women and their citizenship status.
Speaking in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Badenoch said she is unable to transfer her Nigerian citizenship to her children because of her gender.
While discussing immigration policies and the differences between Britain and countries like Nigeria she said, “It’s virtually impossible, for example, to get Nigerian citizenship.
According to her, she has Nigerian citizenship by virtue of her parents, I can’t give it to my children because I’m a woman, Badenoch.
“Loads of Nigerians come to the UK and stay for a relatively free period of time, acquire British citizenship. We need to stop being naive.”
Reacting to Badenoch’s claims during an interview on Hard Copy, a Channels Television programme, on Friday, Dabiri-Erewa faulted Badenoch’s controversial statement suggesting that women could not get Nigerian citizenship simply by giving birth.
She argued that Badenoch’s claim was against Section 25(1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution, which says a person born outside Nigeria qualifies for citizenship if either parent is a Nigerian citizen.
“But that is not true. Don’t divulge false information. You go on international media and spin a lie — that is a lie — that is not even true. And I’m sure people have responded,” she said on Friday.
The diaspora chairman argued that denigrating one’s country publicly must be challenged, and while Nigeria supports its diaspora, no one can be forced to love their homeland.
It’s not true, so why tell us something that is not true? Do you know the number of Nigerians we have in the UK in the political space who are doing very well? We don’t have to focus on one person, but when you denigrate your country, we reply to you.
“It’s not about me, or the President, or you — it’s about Nigeria. You can’t lie about your country, and then we keep quiet. There are many who are doing very well politically. So ours is to continue to work with every Nigerian in the diaspora, but you can’t force anybody,” Dabiri-Erewa said.