Written evidence from Mr Adebayo Joseph Omoniyi (NBB0059)

Introduction: A call to Amend the Nationality and borders Bill

The clause 7 of the Nationality and borders bill serves justice only for British Overseas Territories citizens who have suffered historical unfairness in the law but does nothing for the descendants of the citizens of the United Kingdom and colonies (CUKC) whose parents couldn’t pass the nationality to their children. I believe this is wrong because we suffered from historical unfairness just as much as those of BOTC. Descendants of common wealth citizens who were born abroad should not be excluded from this remedy. We descendants of common wealth citizens need help as well to be able to claim our parents British Nationality.

My mum arrived the Uk in July 1959 from the common wealth to study nursing and married my dad in 1965. They had 4 children before returning to Nigeria in 1972. I was born a few years later in 1977 and due to the historical legislative unfairness, my mother could not pass her nationality to me.

Clause 7 should be amended to provide registration as a British oversea citizen (BOC) on the same basis as it enables registration for BOTC.

17/09/2021