UK Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch Says She No Longer Identifies as Nigerian
Story: Written by SpringnewsNG Media Limited
London, August 2, 2025 – Kemi Badenoch, the new leader of the UK Conservative Party, has stated that she no longer identifies as Nigerian, despite her family roots and early childhood in the country.
Speaking on the Rosebud Podcast, Badenoch revealed that she has not held a Nigerian passport for over 20 years and now considers herself fully British.
“I’m Nigerian through ancestry and by birth because of my parents. But by identity, I’m not really,” Badenoch said. “I know the country very well, I have family there, and I care about what happens there. But home is where my now family is.”
Born in London in 1980, Badenoch spent her early years in Nigeria and the United States before returning to the UK at 16 for her education. She said her parents encouraged her to leave Nigeria due to political and economic uncertainty, warning that there was “no future” for her in the country at the time.
Badenoch also recounted that she received British citizenship shortly before former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ended birthright citizenship in 1981, calling it a fortunate turn that shaped her future.
Reflecting on her personal experiences, Badenoch said her connection to Nigeria is now limited to family ties. She recalled that in 2022, when her father, Dr. Femi Adegoke, died in Nigeria, she had to apply for a visa to attend his funeral, describing the process as “a big fandango.”
Today, Badenoch says her sense of identity is rooted in her life in Britain, her husband, children, and political career.
“The Conservative Party is like my extended family,” she added. “My identity now is shaped by the life I’ve built in Britain.”
Her remarks have stirred conversations about diaspora identity, dual citizenship, and cultural belonging, particularly among Nigerians living abroad.
