[friday Blues] KEMI BADENOCH AND UCHECHUKWU OLISA: REALITIES OF TODAY’S NIGERIAN CITIZENSHIP, IDENTITY, AND OFFICIAL EXCLUSION (3)

friday Blues

KEMI BADENOCH AND UCHECHUKWU OLISA: REALITIES OF TODAY’S NIGERIAN CITIZENSHIP, IDENTITY, AND OFFICIAL EXCLUSION (3)

- by Noble Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje (KSJI)

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druzoadirieje2015@gmail.com

 

Conclusion

The cases of Kemi Badenoch and Uchechukwu Olisa illustrate the contradictions and challenges of citizenship and identity in a globalized, multi-ethnic world. While Badenoch can claim full British citizenship and renounce Nigerian nationality, Olisa remains marginalized in his birth city due to indigeneity politics that equate ethnicity with belonging. This paradox highlights how citizenship is not merely a legal status but also a social and political construct shaped by history, policy, and power dynamics. For Nigeria to foster inclusive development and social justice, it must reconcile these divides by reforming citizenship policies to reflect equality and residence-based belonging. Only then can lifelong residents like Uchechukwu Olisa enjoy the full rights and dignity of citizenship in their homeland, while citizens like Kemi Badenoch embody the complex, transnational realities of modern identity.

 

Recommendations for the Nigerian Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

 

1. Reform the Indigeneity and Citizenship Framework

a. Initiate constitutional and legislative reforms to phase out the indigene-settler distinction that prioritizes ethnic origin over residency and birthright.

b. Develop and implement a residence-based citizenship policy that guarantees equal rights and access to social, economic, and political opportunities for all Nigerian citizens regardless of ethnic background or ancestral state.

c. Ensure federal laws take precedence over discriminatory state-level indigeneity rules to promote national unity and inclusiveness.

 

2. Strengthen Legal Protections against Discrimination

a. Enact and enforce anti-discrimination laws that protect citizens from exclusion based on ethnicity, place of origin, or state of residence.

b. Establish independent oversight bodies or commissions to monitor, investigate, and redress cases of ethnic discrimination, especially in public service recruitment, education access, and political participation.

 

3. Promote Social Cohesion and National Identity

a. Launch nationwide campaigns to foster a common Nigerian identity that transcends ethnic and regional divisions. This should include civic education programs highlighting the importance of equality, unity, and respect for diversity.

b. Encourage inter-ethnic dialogue and community-building initiatives that reduce tensions arising from indigeneity politics.

 

4. Improve Access to Public Services and Economic Opportunities

a. Guarantee that access to education, healthcare, employment, and land rights are based on citizenship and residency, not ethnic indigeneity.

b. Provide affirmative support programs for marginalized groups, including long-term settlers and internal migrants, to address historical inequities.

 

5. Enhance Citizenship Documentation and Mobility

a. Simplify and modernize national identity documentation systems to ensure that all citizens have proof of nationality and residency, reducing bureaucratic barriers that worsen exclusion.

b. Promote the issuance of digital national identity cards linked to residency and citizenship rights.

 

6. Engage Diaspora Nigerians and Address Dual Citizenship Issues

a. Develop policies that encourage the engagement of Nigerians in the diaspora, like Kemi Badenoch, to contribute to national development without compromising their rights or imposing citizenship conflicts.

b. Consider streamlined pathways for dual citizenship recognition to support global Nigerians while protecting national interests.

 

7. Invest in Inclusive Governance and Federalism

a. Strengthen federal institutions to enforce inclusive citizenship policies uniformly across states, limiting parochial practices that undermine national integration.

b. Encourage states to cooperate on equitable resource sharing and citizenship rights to reduce exclusionary tendencies.

 

Implementing these recommendations would promote social justice, national unity, and sustainable development, enabling all Nigerians—regardless of ethnic origin or residence—to enjoy their full citizenship rights and contribute meaningfully to the country’s progress.

….. concluded

 

Noble Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje is a distinguished and multidimensional communicator whose work as a writer, columnist, blogger, reviewer, editor, and author bridges the intersections of global health, sustainable development, human rights, climate justice, and governance.