A top aide to Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has delivered a scathing rebuke of Kemi Badenoch, the UK Conservative Party leader, calling her “another tactless UK politician who lacks maturity.”
Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, accused Badenoch of spreading “outright lies” about Nigeria. He made these remarks in response to Badenoch’s recent public comments, where she described her Nigerian upbringing as fraught with insecurity, corruption, and fear.
“Badenoch Dishonours Her Roots”
Ajayi took to Twitter on Sunday to express his displeasure.
He likened Badenoch’s criticisms of Nigeria to dishonouring one’s parents, adding that Nigerians who support her views are betraying their heritage.
“What I get from some of our people parroting and supporting Kemi Badenoch’s badmouth and irrational diatribes against Nigeria is that their parents do not have a right to personal honour and dignity insofar as their parents could not provide all they desire and fancy,” Ajayi wrote.
He continued, “That Nigeria has her challenges, like any other country on earth, means we must accept every kitchen sink thrown at us, even when they are outright lies like all of Kemi’s fairy tales.”
“Nigeria Doesn’t Need Lectures From Her”
Ajayi dismissed Badenoch as a poor example of leadership and criticized her for focusing on Nigeria’s flaws without acknowledging the UK’s challenges.
“If Kemi’s party made the UK paradise in their 14 years in power, they wouldn’t have lost the election woefully,” he argued.
“Kemi is not an example of someone Nigeria needs lectures from. She is just another tactless UK politician who lacks the temperament and maturity to lead a major political party and as a future Prime Minister.”
Badenoch’s Criticism Sparks Debate
Kemi Badenoch, the first Black woman to lead the UK Conservative Party and serve as Leader of the Opposition, has been a polarizing figure in both the UK and Nigeria.
Born in London to Nigerian parents, she spent her early years in Lagos before moving to the UK for education during Nigeria’s military rule.
At the Conservative Party conference earlier this year, Badenoch painted a grim picture of her childhood in Lagos.
“I was born here, but I grew up in a place where fear was everywhere,” she said. “You cannot understand it unless you’ve lived it. Triple-checking that all the doors and windows are locked. Waking up in the night at every sound. Listening as you hear your neighbours scream, as they are being burgled and beaten, and wondering if your home will be next.”
Badenoch contrasted this with the freedom and security she experienced in the UK, saying, “When you’ve experienced that kind of fear, you appreciate how rare and precious it is to live in a country with security, democracy, equality under the law, and above all else, freedom.”
“Remove The Kemi From Your Name”: Shettima Fires Back
Badenoch’s comments have not gone unnoticed in Nigeria. Vice President Kashim Shettima joined the backlash, accusing her of denigrating her heritage.
“She can remove the Kemi from her name if she is ashamed of her Nigerian roots,” Shettima said in a statement.
“Not A PR Agent For Nigeria”
Despite the criticism, Badenoch has stood by her statements.
Her spokesperson said, “She is not the PR for Nigeria.”
In a speech in Washington last week, Badenoch reflected on her family’s financial struggles in Nigeria, claiming that inflation and poor governance had devastated their wealth.
“There was no freedom either,” she said, describing life under military rule. “The government decided which school your child went to, which businesses could operate, and even arrested people without trial.”
In a separate interview, Badenoch contrasted the Nigerian police with their UK counterparts.
“My experience with the Nigerian police was very negative,” she said. “The police in Nigeria will rob you. I remember when they stole my brother’s shoe and watch. It’s a very poor country. People do all sorts of things.”
