LONDON: Kemi Badenoch, a prominent British politician and Conservative Party leader, has defended her critical remarks about Nigeria after receiving backlash from the country’s vice president, Kashim Shettima. Shettima suggested that if Badenoch did not take pride in her Nigerian heritage, she should remove the Kemi from her name. This remark was made during a speech on migration in Abuja, where Shettima expressed his disappointment at Badenoch’s criticism of Nigeria, accusing her of denigrating her country of origin.
Badenoch, who was born in Wimbledon in 1980 as Olukemi Adegoke, spent part of her childhood in Lagos before moving to the US and later returning to the UK at the age of 16 due to Nigeria’s political instability. Over the years, she has frequently spoken about the fear and instability she experienced in Nigeria, citing corruption and broken systems as factors that shaped her worldview.
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She has consistently highlighted the contrast between the freedoms she found in the UK and the challenges she faced growing up in Lagos.
In response to Shettima’s comments, a spokesperson for Badenoch emphasized that she stands by her remarks, asserting that she speaks the truth about her experiences. The spokesperson also stressed that Badenoch is not Nigeria’s public relations representative and that she would not soften her words.
Shettima had compared her stance to that of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who, despite his Indian heritage, Shettima claimed has never criticized his ancestral country.
Badenoch’s experiences in Nigeria and her subsequent immigration to the UK have played a key role in shaping her political beliefs, including her opposition to socialism, and her defense of individual freedoms. Despite the controversy, she has maintained her position on the matter, underlining her commitment to speaking honestly about her past and the realities she faced.
