- Dabiri-Erewa said Badenoch’s statement was false and should not be aired on international platforms like CNN.
- The NiDCOM boss stressed the need to challenge misinformation and protect Nigeria’s image abroad.
The chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has criticised the British Conservative politician, Kemi Badenoch, over her comments on Nigerian citizenship.
Badenoch, who is of Nigerian descent, had stated in a CNN interview with Fareed Zakaria that Nigerian women cannot confer citizenship on their children.
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 Channels Television’s ‘Hard Copy’ programme, Dabiri-Erewa described 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,” she 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 faulted Badenoch for making the statement on international television and warned against spreading misinformation about Nigeria.
She said: “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.”
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that Nigerians in the diaspora should avoid statements that project the country in a negative light.
She said Badenoch’s comment must not be allowed to overshadow the numerous achievements of Nigerians living abroad, especially in the United Kingdom.
She said: “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.”
The NIDCOM boss lauded the contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora and reiterated the commitment of her commission to promote and protect their interests.
She added that the “diaspora engagement must be grounded in truth, responsibility, and a deep sense of patriotism.”
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