In response to criticism from Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, the United Kingdom Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, says she stands by her remarks about Nigeria and her experience in the country.
Ms Badenoch said on Wednesday that she is not interested in laundering Nigeria’s image and is not in the PR business.
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The Conservative Party leader, born in the UK but raised in Nigeria by her Nigerian parents until age 16, has often spoken about her life and childhood in Nigeria, especially during the party leadership race.
She has repeatedly described Nigeria as a country plagued by corruption and insecurity.
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At this year’s Conservative Party conference, Ms Badenoch reflected on the stark contrast between her life in the UK and her childhood in Lagos, describing the pervasive fear she experienced growing up.
She also described the country as “chaotic and lawless” while recounting memories of hearing “neighbours scream as they were being burgled and beaten” and the constant dread of wondering if her own home would be targeted next.
In 2022, during her unsuccessful bid to lead the party, she said, “I grew up in Nigeria and I saw first-hand what happens when politicians are in it for themselves, when they use public money as their private piggy banks, when they promise the earth and pollute not just the air but the whole political atmosphere with their failure to serve others.
“I saw what socialism is for millions. It’s poverty and broken dreams. I came to Britain to make my way in a country where hard work and honest endeavour can take you anywhere.”
Vice President’s reaction
In response to Ms Badenoch’s constant criticism of Nigeria, Mr Shettima accused the Conservative leader of disparaging the country.
At the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja on Monday, Mr Shettima said, “Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her despite her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin.”
He also went on to say Ms Badenoch could remove “Kemi from her name” if she was not proud of her country of origin.
“Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her despite her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin.
“She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name, but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria.
“One out of every three or four black men is a Nigerian, and by 2050, Nigeria will surpass the United States and will be the third most populous nation on earth.”
Mr Shettima compared Mrs Badenoch’s approach to that of her predecessor, Rishi Sunak, whom he described as “a brilliant young man” who “never denigrated his nation of ancestry.”
Mr Sunak, who is of Indian heritage, left office as Prime Minister and head of the Conservative Party after it was roundly defeated in the last UK general elections.
Kemi’s reply
When asked about Vice President Shettima’s comments, Ms Badenoch’s spokesperson said on Wednesday that she “stands by what she says” and “is not the Nigeria public relations representative.”
The spokesperson described her as the leader of the British opposition who is very proud of her leadership of the opposition in this country.
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“She tells the truth. She tells it like it is. She is not going to couch her words,” the BBC quoted her spokesperson as saying on Wednesday.
Ms Badenoch was born in Wimbledon, South West London in 1980. She grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the United States where her physiology professor mother lectured.
Born Kemi Adegoke, she returned to the UK at the age of 16 to live with a friend of her mother and study for her A-levels. She married Scottish banker Hamish Badenoch and adopted his family name.
