By Cholo Brooks<\/p>\n
At long last, Liberia, Africa\u2019s oldest Republic has finally allowed \u00a0\u00a0any person who is a negro or of negro descent, born in Liberia and a person born outside of the country, \u201cwhose father and mother were either born a citizen of Liberia or was a citizen of Liberia at the time of birth, such a person is qualified to be a citizen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liberia has joined a league of few African countries to remove the prohibition of dual citizenship to allow\u00a0 Liberians of 18 years and older, who acquired the citizenship of another country, to regain their Liberian citizenship.<\/p>\n
This measure was not possible a few days ago, as it was illegal in Liberia to possess dual citizenship. Lawmakers and policymakers alike were reluctant to legalize dual citizenship, arguing the patriotism of people with dual citizenship could be questioned.<\/p>\n
However, with much research, debate and deliberation over recent years among Liberians at home and in the diaspora communities, notably in Europe and America, the case has been made for bringing our politically disenfranchised kin back to the fold.<\/p>\n
And while there was a significant and long-standing economic case \u2014 remittances and such \u2014 in favor of dual citizenship, the social and political implications appeared to upstage the effort, until now.<\/p>\n