The Nigerian social media has been abuzz lately, fueled by a whirlwind of headline-grabbing issues, sparking public debate. From the scandalous leaked escapades of Baltasar Ebang Engonga from distant Equatorial Guinea, to the comedic, minute by minute collapse of the National grid, and the recent comments from Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the UK Conservative Party, there’s no shortage of drama.
However, what piqued my interest the most were Badenoch’s remarks. In a statement that can only be described as audacious, the 44-year-old has once again placed herself at the epicenter of controversy. Badenoch’s recent declaration that developing countries should stop exploiting British guilt over colonialism for reparations has sparked a storm of reactions, especially among Nigerians. One might think that someone with roots in a country deeply scarred by colonial legacies would have a more nuanced understanding, but alas, Kemi continues to prove otherwise.
Kemi Adegoke Badenoch is a British politician. Born in London and raised in Nigeria, returning to Britain when she was 16. Kemi previously had served at the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and who this month became the first black woman and the fourth woman to lead a major UK party. In her first parliamentary speech, in 2017, she declared, “To all intents and purposes, I am a first-generation immigrant.” Ironically, she will now lead a party that has struck an increasingly harsh tone on immigration, a shift that mirrors her own changed views on the subject.
the Atlantic slave trade. “There are many things the British Empire got wrong but there are many amazing things the British Empire also did. We need to be honest about it and stop pretending that it was all bad. The British Empire ended slavery, the Atlantic slave trade. We need to talk about that more,” she insisted
conveniently underscores why she left for the greener pastures of Britain. Her critiques struck a chord with some who share her disdain for Nigeria’s leadership.
It’s worth noting that Badenoch herself grew up in Nigeria and often invokes this personal history as the linchpin for her credibility on African issues. But whether this lived experience translates to empathy or a deeper understanding of colonial repercussions is, to put it politely, questionable.
But for now, only time will tell whether this new chapter in her UK career will lead to meaningful policy or serve merely as another headline-grabbing controversy. One can only hope that the white supremacist elements she seems so eager to court don’t one day show her where she belongs when her usefulness expires. After all, history has precedents for this kind of turnabout, and Kemi Badenoch’s story may be no exception