286 Lebanese, Britons, Americans, Syrian others get Nigerian Citizenship from Buhari

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has officially confered Nigerian citizenship rights to no fewer than 286 persons made up of Lebanese, Egyptians, Syrians, Italians, Palestinians, Americans,  among others.

In the application processed by the Ministry of Interior, 208 of them were given citizenship by naturalization while 78 others got theirs based on registration.

The beneficiaries were mainly composed of 86 Lebanese, while other foreign nationals made up the remaining 200.

President Buhari confered the citizenship rights on them at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Thursday, where he admonished them to be good ambassadors of the country while reciprocating the love and acceptance from the Nigerian people.

Buhari said now that they had become bonafide citizens of Nigeria, our history will become their own history, stressing that only deserving persons were accorded with the right to citizenship after painstaking assessment from the Nigerian government.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the first person to be conferred with Nigerian Citizenship by the ministry was Miss Theresia Chidiac of 16A, Manchester Road, Kano, Nigeria with effect from 18th July, 1964 based on Section 7(1) of the 1963 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thursday’s conferment ceremony  is the first to take place since 2018.

Earlier, Aregbesola said the awardees were people who came from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Middle East, Oceania and Africa, practically from every part of the world, who saw the good in our land and the beauty of our people and system; and have decided to be part of us.

He confirmed that the conferment ceremony will be conducted for 286 foreigners who have gone through diligent checks by agencies of government as stipulated by the Constitution and have fulfilled all statutory and administrative requirements.

According to him, without any doubt, ours is a great nation, richly endowed; and blessed with great people. Smart people continue to flock to our nation, to do business with us and have a sizeable slice of the Nigeria pie. Our nation has therefore always been attractive to foreign nationals who have been so pleased to share in our dreams and destiny and we shall continue to welcome every qualified applicant that will add value to our nation.

“Today’s ceremony is a reminder of our common human ancestry. These people came from near and distant lands, from different races, religion, ethnicity and other social affiliations and identities. However, irrespective of the circumstances of our birth, what we share in common is our humanity and we can always have the basis for deeper and more meaningful interaction and togetherness, if we work at it. What we are celebrating today therefore is the oneness of the human race.

“One of the objectives of our administration, the mandate given to us by Mr President, is to lay a solid socio-economic and political foundation that will thrust Nigeria into one of the 20 great economies of the world. To achieve this lofty vision, the government is determined to encourage and attract foreign investors, high net-worth individuals, highly skilled individuals and people of talents, into the country.

“We shall therefore continue to encourage foreigners who meet the conditions stipulated for becoming Nigerians, by laying a seamless path to citizenship before them. That we have so many people striving to become Nigerians is an indication that the ongoing efforts of the Federal Government to make Nigeria a destination for investment and peaceful coexistence is yielding good fruits. It is also an elixir of hope to all Nigerians that a great, secure, prosperous and peaceful horizon is ahead of us. Let us all therefore play our role in the scheme of things to accelerate the arrival of that beautiful era we all long for.

“I must remind our new citizens that the acquisition of the Nigerian citizenship is a great privilege since not everyone that applies becomes successful. You must therefore guard jealously your new status by being Nigerian in deed and truth – obeying the laws of the land, work hard and love your neighbour. Nigerians work hard and live life to the fullest, irrespective of their earthly estate. It will be my pleasure to see you dissolve into this wonderful blend within the shortest possible time.

“Citizenship carries its own duty. Just as there are privileges, there are also responsibilities. Nigeria, like other nations of the world, has its own challenges, but these are not insurmountable. Citizens have a role to play. You all have talents and human endowments.

“These are the basic ingredients for problem solving and the making of a great nation. The government shall continue to protect all citizens, provide opportunities to realise your best potentials and make life and living enjoyable. It is my sincere hope that beyond sharing in the glory of the nation, you will also contribute your quotas to its development and overcoming of its challenges. Be rest assured that the full powers and resources of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be deployed for your support, to make you succeed in all your legitimate endeavours,” the Interior Minister noted.

Findings by our reporter revealed that most of the new awardees have been residing in Nigeria for several years, contributing to the growth and development of the country.