A Nigerian-born Dutch businessman, Dr Wiebe Boer, has criticised United Kingdom opposition leader Kemi Badenoch for saying she no longer identifies as Nigerian.
Boer, who was born and raised in Nigeria before acquiring Dutch citizenship, said Badenoch’s comments sent the wrong signal about heritage and representation.
Speaking on a podcast with Gyles Brandreth, Badenoch revealed she had not renewed her Nigerian passport in over two decades and no longer considered herself Nigerian, despite having Nigerian parents and spending part of her childhood in the country.
“I’m Nigerian through ancestry, by birth, despite not being born there because of my parents, but by identity I’m not really,” she said. “I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and I’m very interested in what happens there.”
Boer reacted on LinkedIn, saying, “As a proud Nigerian-born and raised Dutchman, I claim Nigeria anywhere and everywhere. From boardrooms in Amsterdam to classrooms in Michigan and hospitals in Guyana, Nigeria is always in my story — not just as heritage, but as part of the engine that drives who I am.”
He described Badenoch’s stance as “deeply problematic” and compared it to how other global leaders handle their backgrounds. “I’ve never heard Barack Obama disavow Kenya or Indonesia while running for president of the United States. I’ve never heard Rishi Sunak disassociate from his Indian or East African roots,” he wrote.
Boer pointed to the growing visibility of Nigerians in British public life, naming footballers Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze; actors Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cynthia Erivo, and David Oyelowo; boxer Anthony Joshua; novelist Ben Okri; and several high-profile business leaders.
He also cited Nigerian-founded or Nigerian-led companies with strong UK operations, including Helios Investment Partners, IHS Towers, Seplat Energy, and Guaranty Trust Bank, noting their contribution to jobs and capital in Britain.
“You can critique a country without renouncing it,” Boer added. “Nigeria continues to shape some of the best stories and people the UK and the world have to offer. Choosing to distance oneself from Nigeria isn’t neutral. It says something, and for those of us who know the complexity, beauty, pain, and power of our homeland, it stings.”
