By Muhammad Mamman
In a striking revelation, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has declared she no longer identifies as Nigerian, embracing Britain as her true home. Speaking on the Rosebud podcast, the Tory chief distanced herself from her ancestral roots, citing a profound sense of belonging in the UK.
“I haven’t renewed my Nigerian passport since the early 2000s,” Badenoch, 45, revealed. “I’ve never truly felt I belonged there. My identity isn’t Nigerian anymore – most of my life has been here in the UK.” Born in Wimbledon, South West London, to Nigerian parents, she acknowledged her heritage but emphasised, “I’m Nigerian by ancestry and birthright, but not by identity.”
Badenoch, who returned to the UK as a teenager after her parents despaired of Nigeria’s future, expressed a deep connection to her British life. “Home is where my family is now – my children, my husband, my brother, my in-laws, and the Conservative Party, which I consider my extended family,” she said. While maintaining an interest in Nigeria, where she still has relatives, she added, “I know the country well, but Britain is where I belong.”
The Tory leader’s comments follow her earlier criticisms of Nigeria, including a January statement decrying its “terrible” government and rampant corruption. Advocating for tougher UK immigration laws, she argued against Britain becoming “like Nigeria, a poor country where governance destroys lives.”
Badenoch’s candid remarks underscore her commitment to her British identity and her vision for the UK, setting a bold tone for her leadership of the Conservative Party.
