Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has slammed Kemi Badenoch, a United Kingdom Conservative leader of Nigerian descent over her claim that Nigerian women cannot pass citizenship to their children.
Badenoch made the statement during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria.
While discussing immigration policies, she said: “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.”
Reacting on Hard Copy, a Channels Television programme aired Friday, Dabiri-Erewa dismissed the statement as “false” and “misleading.”
“But that is not even true. And that is the problem I have. Don’t divulge false information. You go on international media and spew a lie. That is a lie,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
“I’m sure people have responded. So my problem with that is that it is not true. So why tell us something that is not true?”
She condemned Badenoch’s decision to make the claim on international television, warning that misinformation about Nigeria would not go unchallenged.
“When you denigrate your country, we’ll reply you. It’s not about me or the president or you. It’s about Nigeria. You can’t lie about your country then we keep quiet,” she added.
While focusing on the broader diaspora community, Dabiri-Erewa said Badenoch’s comment should not overshadow the many positive contributions Nigerians are making globally, particularly in the United Kingdom.
“You know the number of Nigerians we have in the UK in the political space that are doing very well. We don’t have to focus on one person.”
She also praised the efforts of hardworking Nigerians abroad and reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to supporting and celebrating the diaspora community.
“Diaspora engagement must be grounded in truth, responsibility, and a deep sense of patriotism,” she stated.
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