Stop misrepresenting Nigeria for political gain – Falana to Badenoch

Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has criticised UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch over her recent comments regarding Nigerian citizenship, describing them as a demonstration of “utter ignorance” of Nigeria’s constitutional provisions.

Badenoch, in a recent interview, had claimed she could not pass Nigerian citizenship to her children “because I’m a woman,” while also describing the process of obtaining Nigerian citizenship as “virtually impossible.”

In response on Monday, Falana clarified that Badenoch’s children are Nigerians by birth, citing Section 25(b) and (c) of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees that any child born to a Nigerian parent, whether mother or father, is automatically a citizen.

“Contrary to Kemi Badenoch’s misleading claim, her children are Nigerians because she is a Nigerian,” Falana stated. He further cited Section 42(2) of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on birth, gender, political views or social class, emphasizing that all Nigerians are entitled to equal rights.

He noted that Badenoch’s children currently enjoy dual citizenship, Nigerian and British, and can only renounce their Nigerian citizenship upon reaching adulthood as allowed under Section 29 of the Constitution.

Falana also refuted her claim that Nigerian citizenship is difficult to acquire, pointing to Sections 26 and 27 which outline the processes of registration and naturalisation for foreigners who meet the requirements.

However, Falana acknowledged that some gender-based inequalities still exist in Nigeria’s citizenship laws.

He explained that while a foreign woman married to a Nigerian man qualifies for citizenship by registration, the same does not apply to a foreign man married to a Nigerian woman, which he attributed to the nation’s entrenched patriarchal culture.

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Accusing Badenoch of attempting to discredit Nigeria for political gain in the UK, Falana said her remarks were not only misleading but also damaging to the image of the country.