The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has stated that Nigeria will not compel Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, to embrace her Nigerian heritage.
Erewa, whose role includes overseeing the affairs of Nigerians abroad, shared that her office had reached out to Badenoch several times without receiving a response.
“It’s up to her to recognize the Nigerian identity within herself. We’ve reached out once or twice, but we don’t force anyone to accept being Nigerian,” Dabiri-Erewa said during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, when asked if the Nigerian government had acknowledged Badenoch’s achievement.
“If you appreciate the Nigerian part of you and want to collaborate, we’re open to everyone. But we can’t force anyone to embrace their Nigerian identity. Remember Miss Universe Nigeria in South Africa—she connected with Nigeria and visited us after experiencing challenges in South Africa. As long as that heritage is within you, you’re Nigerian.”
On Saturday, Badenoch, 44, won the leadership of the Conservative Party, succeeding Rishi Sunak, who resigned after a poor showing in the July general election. Badenoch defeated former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, securing 57 percent of the party members’ votes.
As the first Black leader of a UK-wide political party, Badenoch called her new role an “enormous honor,” but acknowledged the challenges ahead.
“We must be honest about past mistakes” and “recommit to high standards,” she said.
“It’s time to get to work; it’s time for renewal,” she added.
Born in London in 1980, Badenoch spent part of her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the United States, where her mother worked as a lecturer. At age 16, she returned to the UK to live with a family friend.
