“By Birth But Not by Identity” — Kemi Badenoch’s Controversial Claim
Nigerians are known for one thing: always holding on to their roots and representing their nation with enthusiasm wherever they are. “I am Nigerian” is a statement of pride and a daring declaration of resilience that non-Nigerians can’t relate to. However for Kemi Badenoch, being a Nigerian leaves more scars and wake up memories she would rather part with.
Speaking on the Rosebud Podcast with former MP Gyles Brandreth, Badenoch revealed she hasn’t renewed her Nigerian passport since the early 2000s and does not see Nigeria as part of her personal identity.
“I’m Nigerian through ancestry, by birth, despite not being born there because of my parents… but by identity, I’m not really,” said the North West Essex MP.
Although born in Wimbledon, Badenoch spent several years of her childhood in Lagos before returning to the UK at 16, after her father’s death and Nigeria’s economic decline. Her remarks have sparked a flurry of heated responses from Nigerians on social media and beyond.
“I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and I’m very interested in what happens there,” Badenoch said. “But home is where my now family is, my children, my husband, my brother and his kids. The Conservative Party is my extended family.”
Among the most scathing reactions came from former Nigerian aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode. He accused Badenoch of fabricating her experiences in Nigerian schools and slammed her disavowal of identity.
“As always, Kemi Badenoch has lied in this clip about her experiences at a Nigerian school and confirmed the fact that she is an affliction and a plague,”
Fani-Kayode posted on X. “Now that she has publicly stated that she no longer identifies with Nigeria, she should have her Nigerian citizenship revoked.”
Other critics took a broader view, questioning her character, ambition, and inconsistencies. British political commentator Nels Abbey called Badenoch’s remarks “hilarious,” referencing an earlier claim she made that her children couldn’t obtain Nigerian citizenship because “she is a woman”, a statement many fact-checkers and legal experts quickly debunked.
“Kemi is giving Nigerian fraudsters a bad name,” Abbey tweeted.
Social media commentator Thomas Standfield also chimed in, pointing out the irony in her political aspirations.
“Well, well, well. Woman who received British citizenship because her mother came to the UK to give birth… now says she no longer sees herself as Nigerian. Prime Minister? Never, never, never,” he posted.
Dr Kevin O’Kane, a UK-based NHS campaigner, took a financial angle, accusing Badenoch of hypocrisy.
“Kemi earns £96,000 as an MP, lives in Wimbledon with her multimillionaire banker husband, and claims £36,400 for a second home. Yet she doesn’t believe junior doctors deserve £22 an hour,” he wrote.
This is not Badenoch’s first brush with Nigerian backlash. In 2024, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima slammed her for “disparaging” the country during the Tory leadership race. He said she had “every right to remove the Kemi from her name.”
Her spokesperson responded, saying she was “not the PR for Nigeria,” emphasizing her right to speak freely about her personal experiences.
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