Why I rejected U.S. citizenship – Akinwunmi Adesina

• Adesina, who stated that he had nothing against the United States as his children are citizens of the country, bemoaned the humiliating treatments he gets whenever he travels abroad

The outgoing President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, has disclosed why he passed up an opportunity to become a citizen of the United States.

Adesina said his decision not to acquire the passport of another country is because the Nigerian passport holds so much value to him.

Adesina, also a former Minister of Agriculture during Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, made this known in an interview with Arise Television’s news host, Rufai Oseni.

He was first elected in 2015 to lead the continental funding institution, which was founded in 1964, and was re-elected President of the AfDB for a second term in 2020.

He said: “You know, one of the things that I’m grateful for as a Nigerian: many, many years ago, when I was in graduate school in Nigeria, even after that, I had an opportunity to obtain a US visa. I was given a great visa, and I could have obtained US citizenship.

“And I say, I didn’t want it, not because I don’t like America. My kids are Americans, and they were born there, but I remember telling a colleague of mine that this passport is a Nigerian passport, a green passport.”

Adesina, who stated that he had nothing against the United States as his children are citizens of the country, bemoaned the humiliating treatments he gets whenever he travels abroad.

He, however, said he work towards making sure the Nigerian passport becomes a document that commands respect.

“I cannot and will never trade it for anything. It gives me a lot of grief wherever I go. You know, with family, my kids are probably asked to go right through, and I’m asked to stay behind. They ask you all kinds of funny questions, where were you born, when do you hope to die? Or any kind of question, just to make sure that you don’t get it.

“But I told this friend of mine that this part—God did not make a mistake in making me a Nigerian. He didn’t make a mistake in making me an African. I will live as a Nigerian, and I will walk by the special grace of God. But that passport, that green passport, will be respected just like everybody else in the world, right?