Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has issued a sharp response to UK Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch, following her remarks about Nigerian citizenship laws.
Badenoch, a British MP of Nigerian descent, stirred controversy during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, where she criticized Nigeria’s citizenship policies, particularly regarding women’s ability to pass on citizenship to their children.
“It’s virtually impossible, for example, to get Nigerian citizenship. I have that citizenship by virtue of my parents, I can’t give it to my children because I’m a woman,” Badenoch said during the interview.
“Yet 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.”
Her comments quickly sparked backlash across social media, especially from Nigerians who saw her remarks as dismissive of the country’s sovereignty and legal system.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Shehu Sani questioned Badenoch’s concern over Nigerian citizenship when, according to him, she has “rebuked and rejected” the country.
“Why should Kemi Badenoch be bothered about getting a Nigerian citizenship for her offspring from a country she rebuked and rejected? She should just enjoy her adopted home and leave us alone in our father’s home,” Sani wrote.
Badenoch’s comments have ignited broader debates about dual citizenship rights, gender-based legal limitations, and the perception of Nigeria by diaspora figures. Some critics have accused her of using her Nigerian heritage when convenient, while others have called for legal reforms to Nigeria’s citizenship laws, particularly the sections that treat men and women unequally in passing on nationality.
Meanwhile, Shehu Sani remains a vocal critic of perceived hypocrisy and external criticism of Nigeria, especially from individuals who have renounced or distanced themselves from the country but continue to speak on its internal affairs.
