- Kemi Badenoch defended her position after Nigeria’s Vice President accused her of dishonouring her heritage
- Badenoch’s spokesperson reiterated her support for her original statements on Nigeria’s instability and corruption
- Kemi Badenoch contrasted the freedom she enjoys in the United Kingdom with the fear and corruption she experienced growing up in Nigeria
Kemi Badenoch has responded to the backlash from Nigeria's Vice President, Kashim Shettima, who accused her of dishonouring her heritage, by firmly defending her statements.
In response to Kashim Shettima’s comment suggesting she might remove "Kemi" from her name if she felt no pride in her Nigerian roots, a spokesperson for Badenoch reiterated her support for her original statements and emphasised that “she is not Nigeria’s public relations representative.”
Badenoch defends stance after Shettima’s criticism
The Conservative Party leader, who was born in the United Kingdom and spent much of her early years in Nigeria, has often spoken about enduring fear and instability in a country she believes is plagued by corruption.
Recall that on December 9, Kashim Shettima, Nigeria's Vice President, implied that Kemi Badenoch should "remove the Kemi from her name" if she could not take pride in her "nation of origin."
“She leads the opposition and takes great pride in her role in this country; she speaks the truth, and she presents things as they are and will not soften her words.” Badenoch’s spokesperson stated.
Shettima responds to Badenoch’s remarks, highlighting her value to Nigeria
Shettima made his comments during a speech on migration in Abuja, where he expressed that his administration is still “proud” of Badenoch, despite what he called her “attempts to denigrate her country of origin.”
Shettima drew a comparison between her stance and that of Rishi Sunak, the UK's first prime minister of Indian descent, calling Sunak “a brilliant young man” who "never denigrated his nation of ancestry."
Kemi Badenoch, originally named Olukemi Adegoke and born in Wimbledon in 1980, grew up in Lagos before moving to the US, where her mother was a physiology professor.
Badenoch shares how Nigeria's struggles shaped her
She returned to the UK to live with a family friend at 16, escaping Nigeria's political and economic struggles and studying for her A-levels. She eventually took her husband’s surname after marrying Scottish banker Hamish Badenoch.
At the Conservative Party conference earlier this year, Badenoch contrasted the liberty she has in the UK with the constant fear that defined her childhood in Lagos.
On a visit to the US, she spoke of her hometown as a place where it felt like almost everything was broken.
She explained that her experiences deeply influenced her conservative ideology and contributed to her opposition to socialism.
Meet Alaba, Osamor, 4 other Nigerians who won seats in 2024 UK election
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the 2024 UK elections ended the 14 years of Conservative leadership in the country.
The polls also saw the re-election of some candidates of Nigerian descent including Kemi Badenoch.