By Yemi Olakitan
The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima has criticized Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected UK Conservative Party leader, for making disparaging remarks about Nigeria. Shettima expressed his disappointment during the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja.
According to Shettima, Badenoch’s comments were unwarranted, and he emphasized that migrants are a vital source of life in all societies. He also pointed out that Nigeria is the greatest black nation on earth, with one out of every three or four black men being Nigerian. By 2050, Nigeria is projected to become the third most populous nation on earth.
Shettima’s criticism comes after Badenoch faced backlash in 2022 for her remarks about Nigeria, which many deemed derogatory. Badenoch, who was born in the UK to Nigerian parents, has been accused of using her Nigerian heritage to further her political ambitions while denigrating her country of origin.
The controversy surrounding Badenoch’s comments has sparked a wider debate about the role of diaspora leaders in promoting their countries of origin. While some argue that Badenoch’s comments were justified, others see them as a betrayal of her Nigerian heritage.
Badenoch had 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.
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 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, 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.
