Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK’s Conservative Party and MP for North West Essex, has revealed she no longer identifies as Nigerian and has not held a Nigerian passport since the early 2000s.
In a candid conversation on the Rosebud podcast with former MP and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, Badenoch reflected on her heritage, her political journey, and where she now considers home.
Although born in Wimbledon, London, Badenoch spent much of her early life in Lagos, Nigeria. However, when Nigeria’s economy collapsed in the 1990s, she moved back to the UK at age 16 to continue her education while living with a family friend.
Speaking about her cultural identity, Badenoch said, “I’m Nigerian through ancestry, by birth, despite not being born there because of my parents… but by identity I’m not really.”
She continued, “I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s.”
Badenoch emphasized that her sense of home is now rooted in her current life in the UK: “Home is where my now family is, and my now family is my children, it’s my husband and my brother and his children, in-laws. The Conservative Party is very much part of my family – my extended family, I call it.”
Despite no longer identifying as Nigerian, Badenoch acknowledged the strong connection she still feels toward the country where she was raised. “I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and I’m very interested in what happens there,” she said.
She also recalled returning to Nigeria after the death of her father, Dr. Femi Adegoke, a GP who ran his own clinic. She described the difficulties she faced obtaining a visa to re-enter the country, calling it a “big fandango.”
Reflecting on her formative years in Nigeria, Badenoch said those experiences had a lasting influence on her political views — particularly her stance against socialism. “I remember never quite feeling that I belonged there,” she added.
Her remarks have not been without controversy. During the Conservative leadership race last year, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima accused Badenoch of disparaging Nigeria and remarked that she “has every right to remove the Kemi from her name.”
At the time, Badenoch’s spokesperson responded by stating, “She is not the PR for Nigeria,” emphasizing her right to share her personal story and experiences without representing the nation.
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