CITIZENSHIP

SS1 GOVERNMENT

3rd Term

4th Week

CITIZENSHIP

Meaning: Citizenship is the status of a person recognized under the custom or law as being a legal member of a sovereign state or belonging to a nation. A person may have multiple citizenships and a person who does not have citizenship of any state is said to be stateless.

Ways of acquiring citizenship

1.       By birth: a person can become a citizen of the place of his/her birth

2.       By decent: this makes a person a citizen of his/her parent’s country

3.       By marriage and registration: this makes a person a citizen of his/her spouse’s country.

4.       By adoption: an adopted child becomes a citizen of his/her adopter’s nationality

5.       By foundling: a foundling is an infant found abandoned and whose parent/guardian cannot be traced. Such a child is accorded citizenship by the state.

6.       By naturalization: this requires formal application for citizenship. The applicant must satisfy certain criteria like a minimum period of residence in the country, evidence of means of livelihood, good behavior, etc.

7.       By honourary gesture: a foreigner who has made remarkable contributions to the country can be conferred citizenship by the state as a way of appreciation.

Ways of losing citizenship

1.       By Owing Allegiance to Another Country.

2.       By Committing Treason.

3.       By Renouncing one’s Citizenship

4.       One can be stripped of citizenship if it was wrongfully gained.

5.       When it is discovered that one lied on one’s Application.

Rights of a citizen

1.       Freedom to express yourself.

2.       Freedom to worship as you wish.

3.       Right to a prompt, fair trial by jury.

4.       Right to vote in elections for public officials.

5.       Right to apply for federal employment.

6.       Right to run for elected office.

7.       Freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Duties and obligation of a citizen in a state

1.    To Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws.

2.    To Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others.

3.    To Pay income and other taxes honestly, and on time

4.    To Defend the country if the need should arise.

Ways of safeguarding citizen’s rights

1.       By enshrining it in the constitution

2.       By seeking redress in the law court when one feels his/her right has been violated

3.       By carrying out public enlightenment campaign to make people know their rights

4.       By establishing civil societies that can help the less privileged innocent victims in court cases

5.       By providing infrastructural facilities

Limitations to a citizen’s right

1.       When there is a threat to the security of the state

2.       The economic and social condition of the state can set a limit to the enjoyment of one’s right. E.g. if the state is too poor to provide health facilities, some of the citizens might die of diseases, in which case their right to life is cut short

3.       Breach of law: the punishment given to an offender serves as a limitation. E.g. imprisonment is a limitation to the right to freedom of movement.

4.       Threat to the health of the society: if one has a health issue that could affect the society, one’s circulation in the society might be restricted.

5.       Emergency situations require emergency measures that could momentarily deny citizens some of their rights. E.g. people might be prevented from an accident scene to prevent more damages.

Difference between a citizen and a non-citizen

s/n	Citizen	Non-citizen
1	He is a member of the state	He is not a member of the sate
2	He has the right to vote and be voted for	He doesn’t have political rights
3	It is a duty for him to defend the state during war	He is not called up to fight for the state during war
4	His disloyalty to the state is a crime called Treason	He needn’t be loyal to the state
5	He can rise to any possible position in the country	His level in that country is subject to limitation