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Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party, has relentlessly cast a shadow over her Nigerian heritage since her ascension to national politics in the United Kingdom.
Born to Nigerian parents Femi and Feyi Adegoke in Wimbledon, London, on January 2, 1980, Badenoch moved to Nigeria at an early age before returning to her country of birth at the age of 16.
She's the eldest of three children, with a sister named Lola and a brother named Fola. Though public records suggest that she grew up in an upper-middle-class home in the 80s-90s Nigeria, the British politician has stoutly clung to the narrative of having a poor background.
This is the trope she has repeatedly explored in her political utterances, portraying her upbringing as a grim tale of poverty, disintegrating infrastructure, moral decadence, police brutality, failed leadership, and corruption in the West African country.
Her controversial remarks have not gone unnoticed in her country of origin, causing a firestorm on social media and even traditional media outlets. Her views have also polarised opinions among Nigerians and triggered reactions from elected politicians and government officials.
Many critics have interpreted her unprovoked negative portrayal of Nigeria as a ploy to win the hearts of the British public to achieve her dream of winning the Prime Minister seat.
Though Badenoch may have a few supporters among Nigerians, her constant denigration of the country has riled many people who have not hesitated to criticise her.
Below are some of the Conservative Party leaders' remarks that have provoked angry reactions from Nigerians.
Nigeria destroys lives
In her maiden speech of 2025, delivered at an event hosted by Onward, a British think tank focused on economic and social research, the British politicians didn't miss the chance to continue her anti-Nigeria rhetoric.
Speaking on the impact of misgovernance, Badenoch drew a comparison between the UK and her country of origin.
She highlighted the importance of building trust and positioning the Conservative Party as the solution to Britain’s challenges. She warned that the British system risks faltering and likened it to Nigeria's governance issues.
Highlighting the importance of building trust and positioning the Conservative Party as the solution to Britain’s challenges, Badenoch warned that the British system risks faltering, likening it to Nigeria's governance issues.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told a packed audience.
"I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life. So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Nigerian police stole my brother's shoes
The UK opposition leader hasn't spared the Nigeria Police in her utterances, recalling some of her unpleasant encounters with the men in uniform growing up in the country.
During an interview with The Free Press last December, she was asked whether she trusted the British police. Rather than limiting her answer to the scope of the question, Badenoch seized the opportunity to lampoon the Nigeria police.
“Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive. The police in Nigeria will rob us. When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch. It’s a very poor country, so people do all sorts of things,” she replied.
The comment drew an instant reaction from an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Zyad Ibn Isah, who reminded her what the London Metropolitan Police used to be before certain reforms were implemented to get them to their current level.
The police officer noted that though the NPF was far from perfect, reforms such as the ones introduced in Britain could bring them to the top level.
“I would recommend David Rose’s “In the Name of the Law” to Kemi Badenoch. The truth is the London Metropolitan Police was a mess in the 1960s, 1970s, and even the 1980s. It was through various reforms and even a change of name that they became what they are today.
"If the questioner had asked a British citizen in the 1960s or 1970s whether they trusted the British police, I doubt they would have said yes. The situation was that bad," Isah told Badenoch.
Controversial immigration proposal
When she doesn't directly mention Nigeria, the Conservative leader still finds a way to rile up people from her country of origin.
Badenoch recently sparked outrage among Nigerians on social media, who form a significant portion of the UK’s migrant community.
This was after the British politician outlined her plan to reform the UK immigration system, which included radical changes such as extending the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five to ten years.
Her proposal also stated that immigrants must wait five years after obtaining ILR before applying for British citizenship, increasing the total process to at least 15 years.
She also suggests stricter eligibility restrictions, including a permanent ban on settling in the UK for individuals with criminal records, those dependent on social housing, or those claiming benefits.
Furthermore, she wants anyone who enters the country illegally or overstays their visa banned from ever obtaining leave to remain or British citizenship.
“I want to reduce immigration and make a living here actually mean something. We need to change the way our immigration system works.
“If you want to stay in our country permanently and apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, the time you have to live here before you apply will increase from five years to 10 years," she partly stated.
Critics have argued that the proposal was excessive and unfair to hard-working immigrants seeking stability.
I don't do PR for Nigeria
As if that weren't already obvious, Badenoch needed to reiterate that she's not in the business of projecting a positive image for Nigeria. She made this known while responding to Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima's criticism of her denigration of the country.
Fed up with the UK politician's antics, Shettima proposed that she might “remove the Kemi from her name” if she did not feel pride in her “nation of origin.”
The VP made the remarks during a speech on migration in Abuja last December. In it, he expressed his administration's pride in Badenoch despite what he described as her “attempts to denigrate her country of origin.”
Replying through a spokesperson, the Conservative leader said she “stands by what she says” and emphasised that “she is not Nigeria’s public relations representative.”
“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,” the spokesperson told reporters.
Yoruba is my true identity
In continuation of her spat with Shettima, Badenoch stoked ethnic tension in Nigeria when she claimed that Yoruba is her true identity and that the Northern Nigerians, where the VP hails from, don't share any similarities with the South West.
“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. I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, where Boko Haram and Islamism is,” she told Shettima.
Attack on Nigerian politicians
Badenoch's negative comments about Nigeria predated her emergence as the leader of the UK opposition party. During her campaign for the PM seat in 2022, the controversial politician riled up her Nigerian counterparts, accusing them of stealing and corruption.
"I grew up in Nigeria, and I saw firsthand when politicians are in it for themselves. When they use private money as their piggy banks, when they promise the earth and they pollute not just the earth, but the whole political atmosphere with their failure to serve others.
"I came to Britain, determined to make my way in a country where hard work and honesty can take you anywhere," she stated.
In reaction, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDO), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, berated the Nigerian-British MP.
“I am just as angry. I second your thoughts here and will keep my comments for a later date,” Dabiri responded to an X user who had described Badenoch's comment as "very tactless."
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