One Nationality, Multiple Loyalties: Challenges and Legal Safeguards

There has been a growing trend in recent years where it is argued that the nation-state is losing its ability to dictate the political allegiance of its citizens. Instead, citizens are increasingly seeing loyalty as a personal choice. These claims become more evident for various reasons. One of them is the increasing number of identifications and calls for public acknowledgment of social differences. Additionally, the failure of the post-modern state to address the needs of significant portions of their populations contributes to this. Moreover, there are arguments suggesting that stronger transnational solidarities are a defining feature of our globalised world. An important consequence of globalisation is the movement of large populations around the world and the efforts to foster loyalty towards supranational bodies like the European Union. One of the most noticeable signs of changing allegiances away from the nation-state is the rise in popularity of self-determination groups and non-state actors who are challenging the state’s authority from within. In Nigeria, a diverse society with a complex history of conflicts, human rights violations, and insurgency, the fragility of the country’s territorial integrity and its impact on development require a deeper examination of citizenship and the loyalty of its citizens. This paper thoroughly explores the context of nationality and citizenship in Nigeria, analysing the evolution of the legal framework and the different aspects of citizen loyalty under international and domestic law. This analysis delves into the impact of the current legal and policy framework on loyalty, highlighting how the lack of justice and fairness can further distance citizens from their allegiance to the State.