By Citizen Richard Odusanya
A renowned Okun son, Prof Pius Adesanmi, who died in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash in Bishoftu, once wrote words that have hunted me:
“I write basically these days because of archaeology. A thousand years from now, archaeologists would be interested in how some people called Nigerians lived in the 20th and 21st centuries. If they dig and excavate, I am hoping that fragments of my writing survive to point them to the fact that not all of them accepted to live as slaves of the most irresponsible rulers.”
I read those words and I wept, because I understood: We are not writing op-eds. We are leaving fragments for future archaeologists to find, so they know not all of us kept quiet.
This is why I founded WITNESS 2026 and CIVICS ARCHIVES. Not to attack government, but to excavate truth for the future.
My latest excavation is uncomfortable: The stewardship of dual citizenship.
I am father to three dual citizens — two British/Nigerian, one American/Nigerian by birth. I am not jealous. I celebrate double grace. But I must ask: What double responsibility does double grace demand?
Prof Pius himself was Nigerian-Canadian. He taught at Carleton University in Ottawa. He lived the dual life. But he never used second passport as escape. He used it as bridge. He came home every year, wrote every day about Nigeria, taught Nigerian students, provoked us. He turned escape route into bridge until his last flight.
Contrast that with what we see now.
When I asked a senior citizen and pastor, Pastor Abraham Ojeme, why his grandson does not school in Nigeria, his son replied: “He couldn’t afford to allow Nigeria to happen to him.”
Sir, that sentence is an archaeology fragment. In one line, it tells future archaeologists how citizenship lost value — when Nigerians saw Nigeria as something that happens to you, like accident, not something you build.
Pastor Ojeme then said: “Escape without building the bridge is eternal damnation for your nation of birth. You will remain eternally accountable. Yes, you may think you are just one of 240 million but you count because God didn’t make a mistake by making you a Nigerian. You MUST do your own bit. QED.”
And he ended: “Knowledge not shared is destinies damned.”
Knowledge not shared is destinies damned. That is why I am writing this.
FOUR FRAGMENTS WE MUST LEAVE FOR ARCHAEOLOGISTS
If they dig 1,000 years from now, let them find these truths we documented:
Fragment 1 — The Two Classes: Dual citizenship created safety net class and bound class. One can leave when petrol price rises, one cannot. When those with loudest voice have exit, who stays to fight for those without exit? My 37 youth in WITNESS 2026 have no second home.
Fragment 2 — The Unbalanced Ledger: Remittances $20bn+ is grace, but brain drain of doctors, capital flight to London/Dubai is loss. We celebrate gain, hide drain.
Fragment 3 — The Allegiance Test: Law demands allegiance to Nigeria, but mother will use passport that guarantees hospital bed. Not betrayal, survival. Crisis only when public office holder uses second home to become unavailable for 12 years while green passport holders must appear in court next day.
Fragment 4 — The Bridge Question: Who will build the bridge? If we all focus on escape route, who fixes indigenous problems? As Pastor said, you remain eternally accountable.
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HOW TO BUILD THE BRIDGE — SO ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND BRIDGE, NOT JUST ESCAPE BOAT
Pius built bridge with his writing. We must build with policy:
- Disclose, don’t ban — PEPs must publicly declare second nationality at Senate screening.
- Appearance undertaking — sign you will not use second passport to evade Nigerian justice.
- Make Nigerian passport powerful internally — replace indigene/settler with 10-year residency rights.
- Diaspora Stewardship Bond — reward those who invest in labs, PHCs, not just houses in London.
CLOSING FOR THE ARCHAEOLOGIST
A thousand years from now, when they excavate this era, I want them to find three things in my corner:
That a father of three dual citizens did not condemn escape, but demanded bridge.
That a senior pastor, Abraham Ojeme, said God made no mistake making you Nigerian.
That an Okun son, Pius Adesanmi, died on duty, leaving fragments so they know not all accepted to live as slaves.
Dual citizenship is not sin. But dual citizenship without dual stewardship is.
And knowledge not shared — is destinies damned.
Citizen Richard Odusanya
Apostle of Conscience*
*CIVICS ARCHIVES — Excavating Fragments For The Future
