A viral video featuring an American man married to a Nigerian woman has ignited conversations around a controversial citizenship clause in Nigeria’s constitution, which many have described as discriminatory.
In the video, the American man, flanked by his Nigerian wife and their children, displayed their American and Nigerian passports — all except his. Expressing frustration, he asked, “I beg, Niger people, make Oona tell me, how do I become Nigerian?”
He went on to highlight what he termed an unequal provision in the constitution: “According to the Nigerian constitution, a Nigerian man who marries a foreigner can help her apply for citizenship immediately. But if a Nigerian woman marries a foreigner, the man must live in Nigeria for 15 years before he can even apply.”
His wife confirmed this, saying the law makes little sense. “It’s really funny because it says if I marry a foreigner, he can’t become Nigerian unless he stays here 15 years. But if a Nigerian man marries a foreign woman, she can apply right away. Make it make sense.”
The couple said they were making plans to relocate to Nigeria for five to six years and began researching citizenship requirements — only to be surprised by what they found. Comparing the situation to U.S. laws, the man said, “That’s alright in my country, you can apply immediately. Why shouldn’t I be able to travel freely in and out without stress? I don’t think that’s right.”
His wife added they were hoping the information was incorrect and called for official clarification: “Maybe we just read the wrong information, because this cannot be right. I don’t know who has Tinubu’s DM or email, but we need answers.”
The video drew reactions across social media, including from Hon. Akin Alabi, Chairman of the House Committee on Works and a representative of the Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency. Weighing in on the matter via X, Alabi criticized Section 26 of the 1999 Constitution, which governs the terms of Nigerian citizenship.
“I believe that if we do not want to do citizenship by marriage, that’s fine. But if we are doing it, it shouldn’t be just one way. Men and women should be able to pass citizenship to their spouses. This smacks of patriarchy and discrimination,” Alabi stated.
He further revealed that his proposed constitutional amendment bill on the issue recently passed its second reading. “I attempted this in the 9th Assembly but fell short. I hope to see it through this time,” he said. “Amending the constitution is difficult, with 24 Houses of Assembly needing to agree. But we will keep trying.”
