Raise Your Hand and Repeat After Me
You know that oath that new citizens take? The one that usually involves the waving of American flags and lots of smiles? Well, here is a ruling that reminds us that the affair isn't just a made-for-television, feel-good event.
Celestine Okafor, a native of Nigeria, applied for naturalization in 1994. He signed all the proper documents, renounced his allegiance to Nigeria and every other country and king, and was approved for naturalization. However, he did not attend the public swearing in ceremony and therefore never got his certificate of naturalization. Bad move, as it turns out, because that meant he can be deported in the wake of his conviction on conspiracy charges. The moral of the story? Raise that right hand. Show up for the ceremony. Get that confirmation that you are a citizen-- before you commit any felonies.
By Andrew Cohen |
August 24, 2006; 12:00 PM ET
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Posted by: MC | August 24, 2006 12:28 PM
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Maybe I can help. I have received a stream of emails from his fellow countrymen who simply need an American contact to receive millions of dollars in unclaimed Nigerian money. If you have an e-mail address for his American wife, I will be happy to forward them to her. With this bounty, they should both be able to live in high style in Nigeria or another country more accommodating than this one or, perhaps, fund an appeal to reverse this decision.