Nigeria’s first female deputy gov makes u-turn in renouncing citizenship over Tinubu’s victory, gives reason

Nigeria's first-ever female deputy governor, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, says she will no longer renounce her citizenship as a Nigerian following Bola Ahmed Tinubu's imminent inauguration as President on Monday, May 29.

Ojikutu, a deputy governor to ex-Lagos state governor Sir Michael Otedola, made this U-turn weeks after reiterating that she would renounce her citizenship, travel elsewhere and live her life.

In a recent interview with Punch, Ojikutu said rejecting her country of birth and origin goes against the doctrine of Islam.

When asked if she would withdraw her statement of renouncing her Nigerian passport, she said: "Renouncing now is another problem because a Muslim scholar told me that I misread the Quran.

He asked me whether Prophet Mohammed (SAW) renounced his affiliation with Mecca despite the death threat he got. "So, I cannot reject Nigeria. He said even if I said I wanted to migrate, there were conditions attached to it."

Ojikutu further noted that she had been approached by people whose advice she could not take for granted despite commencing steps to relocate to another country.

She said these people had compelled her to stay for cogent reasons, which is in accordance with the modules of Islam. Ojikutu said: "The Muslim community approached me. Some said I should maybe continue to keep quiet.

But what I keep telling them is that to the best of my knowledge, I didn’t offend him (Tinubu) to the level that it became a death threat. If there is more to it, he should bring it out so that it can be resolved.

"So, it is not the question of paying my emolument alone; it is now the question of what I may have done that would have led to his statement, “Is she still around?’."