By J. Firstborn
Over the past few months, Nigerian social spaces have been awash with reactions, ranging from outrage to applause and continuous conversations in response to the disparaging statements made against Nigeria by Olukemi Adegoke Badenoch, the leader of the British Conservative Party who is of Nigerian descent.
By just three years, Olukemi, 45, who was born to medical doctor Femi Adegoke and professor of physiology Feyi Adegoke, escaped the restrictions of the British Nationality Act of 1981. She gained British citizenship by birth in Wimbledon, London, and began her journey into British politics at age 25 when she joined the Conservative Party in 2005.
In 2010, she finished third after contesting the Dulwich and West Norwood constituencies. Although initially unsuccessful, three years later, in 2015, she stood for the London Assembly elections and became a member following a vacancy.
Badenoch was elected as the Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden in 2017, marking her entry into national politics.
Following the Conservative Party’s defeat in the general election, Olukemi made history as she was elected the Leader of the Opposition and the Conservative Party — the first black woman to lead the 191-year-old political party.
This is an achievement deserving of celebration! A Nigerian woman became the first black woman to lead the oldest political party in the UK. Truly Owambe-worthy. But the joy quickly turned bitter for many Nigerians as Olukemi’s controversial statements from 2022 resurfaced and her condemnation campaign against Nigeria began.
Olukemi’s Contemptuous Remarks
The Tory Party Leader has described her upbringing in Nigeria as “very tough”. She referred to it as “middle class” when compared to “very poor” surroundings. “Being middle class in Nigeria still meant having no running water or electricity, sometimes taking your own chair to school,” she has said.
In 2022 she delivered a speech in which she expressed concerns about the UK’s governance, drawing comparison to her amplified experiences in Nigeria, saying quote “I was born here but I grew up in a place where fear was everywhere.” “Triple checking that doors and windows are locked, waking up at every sound, listening as you hear your neighbors scream as they’re being burgled and beaten, wondering if you’re home will be next”.
This marked the opening salvo in Badenoch’s condemnation campaign, sparking widespread conversations. Many Nigerians began investigating where Olukemi lived during that period, attempting to trace the origins of her alarming claims.
In response to her statement, Nigeria’s VP Kashim Shettima said “She has every right to remove Kemi from her name” since she is not proud to be from Nigeria.
In that same speech from 2022, Olukemi also said “Being Yoruba is my true identity, and I refuse to be lumped with northern people of Nigeria, who ‘were our ethnic enemies,’ all in the name of being called a Nigerian.”
Tribalistic generalizations and rhetorics like this are exactly what the country had been trying to put aside for months now and this just fueled the fire even more.
Amid the debate around these weighty statements, On December 12 Olukemi decided to fan the flames by sharing her experience with the Nigerian Police in an interview Honestly with Bari Weiss where she said: “My experience with the police in Nigeria was very negative, and coming to the UK, my first experience with the police was very positive. The police in Nigeria would rob us. I remember the police stealing my brother’s shoes and his watch. It’s a very poor country, so people do all sorts of things.”
At this point, Badenoch’s special interest in Nigeria got a lot more suspicious.
As a Nigerian who once lived in the country, Kemi has every right to share her experiences. However, it’s crucial to distinguish between sharing experiences to highlight significant issues and doing so to manipulate perceptions or further personal ambitions.
Badenoch’s Political Branding & Career Goals
Like many politicians seeking votes and admiration from a specific group, Olukemi engages in what can be called Political Branding. She’s delicately crafting an image to shape how her target audience (Britain) perceives and accepts her.
One does not need four eyes to see clearly that Badenoch has higher aims and goals for her political aspirations. Many have even predicted that she may run for the position of Prime Minister soon. To achieve such a highly ranked position, she must do everything possible to make herself appealing to the British people, hence the polished name she has chosen to be known by.
Her statements are a calculated strategy to appear bold, confident, and deeply concerned about the British people. Combined with persistent comparisons and promises like ‘I don’t want Britain to be like Nigeria,’ she seeks to showcase her loyalty to Britain, solidifying trust and strengthening her connection with the public.
Several Nigerians believe that Badenoch cares about Nigeria and she makes these statements with the hope of pushing the Nigerian government to do better, which is not only false but quite silly.
It was reported by The New Diplomat that back in 2010 when Olukemi ran for a seat in the UK Parliament as the Conservative candidate for the constituency of Dulwich and West Norwood, she actively begged the British Nigerian community for their support. She said “I need your help. I’m running for parliament in the 2010 UK general elections. The race is very tight.”
She is also said to have promised in a document to uplift the image of the Nigerians through her position in the British political system.
This speaks volumes about the real intentions Olukemi has for Nigeria, what the real reasons are for her continuous back-to-back devaluing remarks, and her values as a leader.
The main question is “Did Kemi Lie?
The issues the country faces today are not peculiar to only Nigeria. They are issues that can be found in some of the most developed and most advanced countries. These issues often feel amplified in African countries due to poor representation and the amount of damage that has been done to the image of African countries by the Western media.
For instance, the United Kingdom has suffered a significant rise in knife-related crimes. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that in the year ending March 2023, 41% of all homicides in England and Wales were knife-related, equating to 244 stabbing deaths out of 590 total homicides. In contrast, while Nigeria faces its issues certain violent crimes like this are less prevalent.
It would be hypocritical to talk about the harm done to African representation in the media and support the Badenoch rhetoric.
The main goal of portraying Africa negatively in the media is to reinforce the perception that the West holds the upper hand, which is often an inaccurate view. This is exactly what Olukemi Adegoke seems to be doing now. While her experiences may be valid, her intentions are far from noble. She is exploiting the country’s flaws to selfishly further her political ambitions.
What sets Nigerians reporting their experiences apart from Olukemi’s actions is the intent behind the narrative. When journalists or citizens share stories about Nigeria’s challenges, the goal is often to inform, highlight issues, and push for solutions that foster progress. It’s about constructive criticism aimed at bettering the system. Olukemi, on the other hand, weaponizes these same stories, using them not as a call for improvement but as a tool to draw unnecessary and disparaging comparisons.
Her aim isn’t to inspire change or understanding but to bolster her political ambitions by presenting herself as the antithesis of what she portrays Nigeria to be. It’s less about solutions and more about self-serving optics.
Reclaiming the Truth of Olukemi Adegoke’s Identity (The Re-Nigerianization of Kemi Badenoch)
Throughout her public life, Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch has taken deliberate steps to distance herself from her full, authentic name — a name that firmly binds her to her Nigerian heritage. Yet, as she frequently includes Nigeria in her rhetoric, often to draw disparaging comparisons or bolster her political image, it is important to remind her and the world of her roots.
By consistently referring to her by her full name, we anchor her to the identity she seems keen to obscure. This act is not about ridicule but about ensuring accountability and recognition of her heritage.
Regardless of attempts to sever them, the strength of a person’s roots lies in their ability to grow deeper and stronger. Olukemi’s Nigerian identity is not something she can get rid of or rewrite for political convenience. It is a part of who she is, whether she chooses to embrace it or not. As Nigerians, we should not buy into a curated image born of identity struggles. Instead, we must hold her to the truth of her origins and remind her that authenticity matters.
This is not a critique of her achievements or ambitions but a call for responsibility. When public figures use their heritage as a tool to disparage rather than uplift, they must be held to account. By referring to her by her full name, we underline the reality that no matter where life takes her, her story — like her name — is incomplete without acknowledging the soil from which it began.
Joshua Firstborn professionally known as J. Firstborn is a Nigerian writer and communications specialist with over half a decade of experience in visual communications, branding, and public relations. His passion for storytelling and social justice drives his insightful commentary on societal issues, inspiring critical thinking and fostering equity.