Nigerians are expressing diverse opinions following the election of British-Nigerian politician Kemi Badenoch as the new leader of the UK Conservative Party. Badenoch, an MP for North West Essex, won the leadership position with 53,806 votes over Robert Jenrick’s 41,388 in the final voting round, making her the first black woman to head a major UK political party.
Supporters have lauded the 44-year-old’s achievement as a historic moment for the Nigerian diaspora. Media entrepreneur Mo Abudu called her success an inspiration, particularly for women. “Kemi’s journey is a reminder to every woman and young girl that no dream is out of reach,” Abudu wrote on Instagram. Reno Omokri, a former Nigerian presidential aide, also praised her election, calling it “a double celebration” given her Nigerian roots.
However, some Nigerians expressed skepticism, especially following Badenoch’s recent critical comments about Nigeria. In her campaign, she remarked that she didn’t want the UK to become “like the place I ran away from,” a statement that many interpreted as a negative reference to Nigeria. Social media users voiced discontent, with some suggesting she was dismissive of her Nigerian heritage. On X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, users like @GeneratXyz wrote, “I don’t feel too excited to congratulate Kemi Badenoch…The UK remains not her home but her sojourn. Nigeria will forever be her root.”
Badenoch, born in the UK and raised in Nigeria, has previously drawn controversy for her remarks on British colonialism, stating, “The fact that colonialism happened does not mean that our modern history is tainted by it.”
Some, however, defended her comments as accurate reflections of Nigeria’s ongoing challenges. Maxwell Adeyemi, a Nigerian living in the UK, noted, “She only told the truth…we shouldn’t blame Kemi for telling the truth.”
