Your Children Are Nigerians—Falana Counters Badenoch on Citizenship Remarks

Abuja, Nigeria — Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has debunked claims by UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, that she cannot confer Nigerian citizenship on her children due to her gender.

Falana issued the rebuttal in a statement released Monday, describing Badenoch’s position as a “display of utter ignorance” aimed at currying political favor by discrediting Nigeria.

During a recent interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Badenoch claimed that, as a woman, she could not pass on Nigerian citizenship to her children—asserting that it was far easier for Nigerians to become British citizens than for foreigners to become Nigerian.

In direct response, Falana maintained that Badenoch’s statement misrepresents the Nigerian Constitution, particularly Sections 25(b) and (c), which establish that any person born outside Nigeria to a Nigerian parent—regardless of gender—is a citizen of Nigeria.

“Her assertion contradicts the clear provisions of the law,” Falana emphasized. “Her children are Nigerians by virtue of her citizenship. Section 42(2) further affirms that no citizen shall suffer discrimination on grounds of gender, birth, or class.”

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria further clarified that Badenoch’s children, whether or not she chooses to claim it, are dual citizens of Nigeria and the United Kingdom by legal right.

Addressing her remarks about the difficulty of acquiring Nigerian citizenship, Falana pointed to Sections 26 and 27 of the Constitution, which provide pathways for foreigners to gain Nigerian citizenship through naturalisation or registration—provided legal requirements are met.

While acknowledging that certain aspects of the law remain gender-biased—such as the unequal treatment of foreign spouses—Falana urged for reforms to eliminate patriarchal provisions.

The statement concluded with a call for accurate representation of Nigerian law and a reminder that misinformation should not be used as a political tool.

By Adeola Olaniya | July 21, 2025