By James Sunday, FCAI, MNIIA Migration Management Expert
It is not knowledge that kills, it is ignorance. And in the realm of law, ignorance is no excuse. Unfortunately, Kemi Badenoch’s recent comments on citizenship, particularly in relation to children of Nigerian heritage born abroad, betray a fundamental misunderstanding of the Nigerian Constitution and raise questions about her intentions, especially as they intersect with her political aspirations in the United Kingdom.
Let it be stated clearly: Section 25(b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides that any child born outside Nigeria to at least one Nigerian parent is automatically a citizen of Nigeria. This is not a vague political argument or a subject of rhetorical debate, it is constitutional law. It is binding, unambiguous, and well-rooted in Nigeria’s legal framework.
For someone who left Nigeria at the age of 16, it is expected that she would have encountered civic education, if not through formal learning in Social Studies, then through lived experience or public discourse. Citizenship, especially for children of the diaspora, is a key feature of Nigeria’s identity law, taught at secondary level and well documented in national conversations.
Yet, despite her claim to broad knowledge, Badenoch appears to be misinterpreting, or worse, weaponising the matter for political mileage. Her recent remarks suggest a deliberate attempt to stir confusion and delegitimise the birthright of Nigerian children born abroad, a move that is not only misleading but also harmful to honest, law-abiding families in the diaspora.
There is a dangerous undercurrent to this kind of rhetoric. When political figures misuse constitutional interpretation to score cheap points or to advance an exclusionary agenda, it does not just reflect ignorance, it reveals a lack of respect for the sovereignty and dignity of other nations, particularly one with which the UK shares deep historical ties like Nigeria.
To exploit the subject of citizenship as a wedge issue, especially when one has benefitted from migration themselves is hypocritical at best, and politically aggressive at worst. Badenoch’s stance may please ultra-conservative circles in her campaign, but it does a disservice to the shared values of cooperation, justice, and mutual respect that ought to govern modern migration discourse.
Citizenship is not a favour, it is a right. And for Nigerian children born abroad to Nigerian parents, that right is constitutionally protected. Those who seek to lead, especially on the global stage, must lead with truth, clarity, and informed understanding, not with fear-mongering or distorted conservatism.
As a migration management expert, I encourage public officials, especially those with Nigerian roots, to approach migration policy with empathy, legal accuracy, and a vision for inclusive societies. Any attempt to blackmail Nigerians abroad or sow doubt about their constitutional identity is not only unjust, it is unpatriotic.
It is time to stop the political opportunism. Let us defend the truth, uphold the Constitution, and ensure that those who carry the future of our identity, our children, are protected by the law, not exploited by politics.