UK Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch Says She No Longer Identifies As Nigerian

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, has publicly stated that she no longer identifies as Nigerian and has not renewed her Nigerian passport since the early 2000s. Born in London and raised in Nigeria, Badenoch returned to the UK as a teenager due to her parents' belief that there was no future for her in Nigeria following the country's economic collapse in the 1990s. Despite her ancestral ties and family connections in Nigeria, she considers the UK her true home, emphasizing that her family and political life are centered there. She described the process of obtaining a visa to visit Nigeria after her father's death as a "big fandango" and noted that she never truly felt a sense of belonging in Nigeria. Badenoch's views have attracted criticism from some Nigerian politicians, but she maintains her stance and identity rooted in Britain. Her personal experiences and background have shaped her political outlook, including her opposition to socialism.