Vice-President Kashim Shettima has criticised Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, for her disparaging remarks about Nigeria.
Badenoch, born to Nigerian Yoruba parents in the UK in 1980, spent her formative years in Nigeria before moving back to the UK at age 16.
Badenoch recently described Nigeria as a socialist nation plagued by corruption and insecurity, a stark contrast to her praise for the UK as a land of opportunity and security.
“This is my country. I don’t want it to become like the place I ran away from,” she said during her campaign for the Tory leadership.
Reflecting on her upbringing in Nigeria, Badenoch said, “I grew up in Nigeria and I saw firsthand what happens when politicians are in it for themselves. I saw what socialism is for millions. I saw poverty and broken dreams. I came to Britain to make my way in a country where hard work and honest endeavor can take you anywhere.”
She also recounted living in constant fear in Nigeria, recalling the insecurity that defined her childhood. “Triple checking that all the doors and windows are locked, waking up in the night at every sound, listening as you hear your neighbors scream as they are being burgled and beaten, wondering if your home would be next,” she said.
Speaking at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue in Abuja on Monday, Vice-President Shettima acknowledged Badenoch’s right to express her views but rebuked her for undermining Nigeria.
“Rishi Sunak, the former British prime minister, originally from India, never denigrated his nation of ancestry nor poured venom on India,” Shettima noted, drawing a comparison.
“Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Conservative Party, we are proud of her in spite of 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, 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.”
Badenoch, 44, who previously served as the UK’s shadow business and trade secretary, has taken a hardline stance on immigration and has controversially defended aspects of Britain’s colonial past.
While Badenoch’s statements have stirred debate, Shettima’s remarks underscore Nigeria’s pride in its heritage and its commitment to addressing the challenges the nation faces.
Chioma Kalu
