An American man who tied the knot with a Nigerian woman has sparked a nationwide conversation after questioning what he calls an “unfair and outdated” part of Nigeria’s constitution — and his passionate video is going viral.
In the clip, the man begins by proudly showing his U.S. passport, alongside the Nigerian passports of his wife and children. But one document is clearly missing — his. With visible frustration and a bit of humor, he asks:
“I beg, Niger people, make Oona tell me, how do I become Nigerian?”
His gripe? The Nigerian constitution currently allows a foreign woman married to a Nigerian man to apply for citizenship right away. But for foreign men married to Nigerian women — like him — the law says they must live in Nigeria for 15 years before they can even apply.
His wife joined in the video, visibly amused yet bothered by the revelation.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” she said. “We read that if I marry a foreigner, he can’t become Nigerian unless he lives in Nigeria for 15 years. But if a Nigerian man marries a foreigner, she can apply immediately. Why the double standard?”
The couple explained that they were preparing to relocate to Nigeria for five to six years, prompting them to research the citizenship process — only to be stunned by what they discovered.
“In my country, you can apply right away if you marry a citizen,” the man said. “Why should I go through stress to live with my own wife and kids in her home country?”
He added that all he wants is to move freely in and out of Nigeria without legal hassles. His wife chimed in again, hoping the info they read was inaccurate:
“Maybe we misunderstood. I really hope so. If anyone has Tinubu’s DM, please help us tag him!”
The viral moment caught the attention of Hon. Akin Alabi, a federal lawmaker and chairman of the House Committee on Works. Reacting on X, Alabi pointed to Section 26 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently offers citizenship by marriage only to women married to Nigerian men.
“If we allow citizenship by marriage, it should be for both men and women,” he wrote. “This reeks of discrimination and patriarchy.”
Alabi revealed that his bill to amend the constitution and fix this disparity recently passed its second reading in the House.
“I tried to push this in the last assembly but didn’t succeed. This time, I’m hopeful. But constitutional amendments are tough — 24 state assemblies have to agree. Still, we’ll keep fighting.”
As the video continues to gain traction online, many Nigerians are now rallying behind the couple, calling for equal rights in citizenship laws — regardless of gender.
