Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has passionately criticized the newly elected leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, accusing her of “disparaging her country of origin, Nigeria.”
While speaking on the 9th of December, 2024, at the prestigious 10th Annual Migration Dialogue held at the State House in Abuja, Shettima addressed a topic that has sparked global conversations.
The controversy traces back to 2022, during Badenoch’s bid for UK Prime Minister, when she boldly accused Nigerian politicians of misusing public funds for personal gain.
Fast forward to November 2024, after Badenoch’s landmark election as the UK Conservative Party leader, efforts by Nigeria’s Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to establish contact reportedly went unanswered.
NIDCOM Chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, confirmed her office received no response from Badenoch.
On the 9th of December, 2024, Shettima didn’t hold back:
“Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party we are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin. She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name. But that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria,”he said.
The Vice President didn’t stop there. He highlighted Nigeria’s profound global significance, stating, “One out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian, and by 2050, Nigeria will support the United States and will be the third most populous nation on earth.”
As a former governor of Borno State, Shettima used the moment to shine a spotlight on the undeniable impact migrants have on societal transformation and economic growth, underscoring Nigeria’s pivotal role on the global stage.