Kemi Badenoch identifies with her Yoruba roots over Nigeria, reigniting debates on ethnic identity after controversial remarks on governance.
UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has sparked renewed debate over her Nigerian heritage, declaring that she identifies more with the Yoruba ethnic group than with the Nigerian nation as a whole.
In an interview with The Spectator, Badenoch explained her deep connection to her Yoruba ancestry while distancing herself from northern Nigeria, citing cultural and historical differences.
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“I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity—Yoruba. That’s what I really am,” Badenoch remarked.
She further described northern Nigeria as an area she has “nothing in common with,” referring to the region as the “Boko Haram area” and adding that historical ethnic conflicts have shaped her views.
These comments follow previous criticisms by Badenoch of Nigeria’s governance, which she described as plagued by “thieving politicians” and insecurity.
Her remarks provoked widespread backlash, including a response from Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who urged her to consider renouncing her Nigerian ties if she no longer identifies with the country.
Badenoch, born in the UK to Nigerian Yoruba parents, spent part of her childhood in Nigeria before returning to the UK at 16.
Her stance has reignited discussions on the complexities of diasporic identities and the relationship between ethnicity and nationality.
Former Nigerian Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, also weighed in, stating that “Nigeria does not need her” in response to her depiction of the nation.
