An Igbo man whose name is Ikechukwu left his hometown, ‘Imo State' to ‘Sokoto State', in search of greener pastures. This man settled down with his wife and they were gifted with four children. 16 years after they emigrated from their state of origin; Victor who is a firstborn to Mr. Ikechukwu applied to study Microbiology at Sokoto State University.

As a good Nigerian citizen who has been contributing immensely to the development of his residence state (Sokoto State) wants to collect indigenous certificate for his son, for him to enjoy the scholarship enjoyed by Sokoto state indigene. He was denied from obtaining the certificate of an indigene of Sokoto state to his child because his parents are from Imo state and they don't have the right to enjoy the benefit enjoyed by the son of the soil.

Despite the fact that Mr. Ikechukwu is a civil servant in Sokoto state; and he is carrying out his social responsibilities in the state. He has contributed immensely to the betterment of the state, paying huge taxes and also fostering peace and security in their residence state more than their state of origin. They were denied their right because they are non-indigene of their residence state. Even though they are Nigerians, but his son cannot benefit from scholarship because the opportunity is meant for the only son of the soil.

We are calling ourselves one Nigerian but we cannot enjoy some rights and privileges outside our state of origin. Many Nigerians are accorded as an alien in another state other than their state of origin. There are other sectors that Nigerians are being denied of their citizens' right which include the following :

The indigene and non-indigenes syndrome determine a lot of things in getting job opportunities in Nigeria. This is becoming alarming to the extent that it would be difficult for a non-indigene to enjoy the job opportunities outside his state of origin; despite the fact that he is a Nigerian citizen by birth. That's the reason it's hard if not impossible to appoint a Vice-Chancellor of the state University outside their state of origin.

This is not restricted to only employment opportunities, but it has extended to the area of education. Nigerian citizens cannot enjoy any scholarship outside their state of origin because they are not the son of the soil. If a non-indigene is studying in a state institution outside his state of origin; his school fees would be more than the money paid by the indigene. The inclusion of the catchment area in the cut-off mark of our tertiary institutions has given birth to injustice in giving admission. The indigene of a particular state within the geographical area of a particular tertiary institution has the highest admitted students into all professional courses.

For example, if Ade from Ondo state scored 240 and he is applying for Law in Bayero University, Kanu; Aliyu, on the other hand, applied for law and scored 220 in the same institution; The institution would change ade's course to Political science and Aliyu would be given Law because one is from the catchment area, while the other must meet the merit cut- off mark before he can be considered for the course he applied for.

All Nigerians have the right to vote and be voted for in any part of the country. But in Nigeria, non-indigenes have the right to vote in any state in Nigeria but cannot be voted for outside their state of origin despite fulfilling the requirement prescribed by law to contest for political office

It may be argued that in Nigeria, it is more beneficial to be an indigene than to be a Nigerian since “indigeneship” carries with it all the rights and privileges of citizenship. whereas Nigerian citizenship does not carry with it the rights and privileges offered by “indigeneship”. It may even be said that Nigerian citizenship concedes some of its rights and privileges when confronted by “indigeneship.”

There are some factors that contributed to the denial of citizenship in Nigeria; firstly, the existence of loyalty to one's ethnic, state, local government area, clans, villages, e.t.c has caused this menace in our society. A good example of this is that some recognized judges have turned the post of Judges to the family post, thereby hinder some less privileged families to have access to the position. Some have turned political offices to their family clan; they prefer to appoint an indigene who has been living in the United Kingdom than a non-indigene who has been living with them since 20years back.

Secondly, one of the factors that also contributed to this problem is the lack of respect to rule of law; and if there is no rule of law in a society, it would lead to an abuse of human rights. Every Nigerian has the right to live in any part of the country and discrimination of a non-indigene would lead to a breach of fundamental human rights which is respect for the dignity of the person.

Prebendalism and Clientelism have solidified political supremacy that favors loyalists to the exclusion of others. According to Ukpe, he sees prebendalism as a system of spoilt politics where the winner takes all. Political affiliation fostered by prebendalism solely and completely represents the interest of their members represented by politicians, contractors, legal professionals, bureaucrats, military personnel, and academia.

While clientelism has been well defined by Joseph (1999, 55) as a channel through which one joins the dominant class and a practice which is then seen as fundamental to the continued enjoyment of the prerequisites of that class. Godfatherism in Nigerian politics is a good example of this, whereby a godfather would want to nominate his godson or relative; thereby denying the competent candidates to hold the post.

But the bitter truth is that, during census to determine the population of state or local government; non-indigenes are counted to their state of residence not the state of origin. During the registration of birth; non-indigenes are registered in their state of residence not the state of origin.

The non-indigenes are paying tax in their state of residence; how would you push them to go and enjoy the opportunity in their state of origin. This is just as if you are telling them to go and reap what they didn't sow.

Some local governments in Nigeria may not have the numerical strength to be a state or local government if not for the non-indigene living in the area. In terms of revenue generation also; some states are getting the highest revenue from the non-indigene, yet, they cannot benefit from what they sow.

That's the reason Raphael said: “The nation is a community, the state is an association; membership of the nation is a matter of sentiment, depending on common experience and history, while members of a state is a matter of legal status.”

To solve the problem of denial of citizenship rights and privileges in Nigeria; we need to de-emphasize the use of one's state of origin in granting rights, privileges, and other benefits and the Nigerian citizens should be treated equally everywhere in Nigeria.

The issue like employment opportunities, admission into tertiary institutions, scholarships, election into political offices, should be based on state or local government of residence, not origin; this would give an opportunity for them to reap what they sow.

According to Section 25 (1) of the 1999 Constitution stated that citizenship could be acquired by birth; this should be applicable in all states to allow any child born outside their state of origin to get the certificate of origin.

Respect to the rule of law is one of the things that can be done to put an end to discrimination and molestation of a Nigerian citizen outside their state of origin. Section 41(1) defends the right of every Nigerian citizen to reside in any parts of the Nigerian state without molestation and discrimination. Therefore, anybody who breaches this fundamental human right should be severely punished; this would go a long way to curb this menace in the contemporary world.

On a final note, the parents, religious leaders, teachers, should endeavor to educate the young Nigerians on the importance of promoting national consciousness more than Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and other ethnic consciousness. They should be enlightened on how to respect their fellow Nigerians, irrespective of their state of origin; if all the above solutions should be applied, the denial of citizenship right would become a thing of past in Nigeria.

God bless Nigeria.

Abdulrasheed Hammad is a 300-Level student of Law at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. He can be reached through this Gmail: Abdulrasheedhammad@gmail.com or Whatapp contact through 08083638703.

I Tried Reading This Epistle But Couldn't,please Person Wey Finish Am Should Summarize Mbok......Any Way FTC!

The same way I stepped into an office in a Northwestern state and I mentioned that I am a Katsina man (while my parents are from the Eastern part), the way the eyebrows were raised by 3 people in the room and the resounding No that followed scared me.

Mehn, this problem is not even a Government problem but a people to people problem. The thing is so deep that you will think there is no salvaging of this situation erh.

How I wish Nigerians would have this same mindset. We would have been the actual giant of Africa. But our situation today is a sorry state. Nigerians should get sense. Starting from the folks on Nairaland.

Ondo state is also denying one ambassadorial nominee simply because she is from rivers state but married to a man from Ondo state

Nigeria is a false amalgamation of nations. Igbo man please stay in your territory and develop it!!!!!

MyYoruba brothers and sisters, Come Home and leave Hausa land for Hausa people. Leave reckless, selfish and stupid migration to the long throat, muddy landed people who cannot develop their tiny plot of land.

IGBO!!! Think homeland!!!!