Prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has taken a swipe at United Kingdom Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, describing her recent remarks about Nigerian citizenship as a clear demonstration of “utter ignorance” of the country’s legal framework.
Badenoch had stirred controversy during an interview in which she claimed, “I can’t give it [Nigerian citizenship] to my children because I’m a woman,” and alleged that acquiring Nigerian citizenship is “virtually impossible.”
In a sharp rebuttal issued on Monday, Falana invoked constitutional references to counter Badenoch’s assertions.
He clarified that her children are Nigerians by birth, irrespective of where they were born or the fact that their mother is female.
“Contrary to Kemi Badenoch’s misleading claim, her children are Nigerians because she is a Nigerian,” Falana declared. “Her assertion that she cannot give Nigerian citizenship to her children because she is a woman is not in consonance with Section 25(b) and (c) of the Nigerian Constitution…”
Citing Section 42(2) of the same Constitution, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria emphasized that the law prohibits discrimination against any Nigerian citizen based on gender or birth circumstances.
“No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth, gender, political opinion or class,” he noted.
Falana went on to assert that Badenoch’s children automatically hold dual citizenship of both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
“It is up to the children to renounce their Nigerian citizenship upon the attainment of full age in accordance with Section 29 of the Nigerian Constitution,” he added.
Responding to Badenoch’s claim about the difficulty of acquiring Nigerian citizenship, Falana pointed to Sections 26 and 27 of the Constitution, which outline clear pathways for citizenship by registration or naturalisation, provided certain conditions are met.
While acknowledging the need for legislative reforms, particularly regarding gender parity in citizenship through marriage, Falana said, “A woman who is married to a Nigerian man is qualified for registration as a citizen. But the same right is not accorded to a man who is married to a Nigerian woman because of the patriarchal nature of the society.”
He accused Badenoch of exploiting misinformation to appeal to UK voters, cautioning that her comments unfairly misrepresent her country of heritage.
