British Conservative Party leader and UK opposition head, Kemi Badenoch, has described her experience at a Federal Government Girls’ boarding school in Sagamu, Nigeria, as “like being in prison.”
Badenoch, who is also the Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden, made the comments in a recent podcast where she spoke about her upbringing across Nigeria, the US, and the UK.
The UK-born politician spent part of her early years living above her father’s medical clinic in Lagos. At just 11 years old, she was sent to a government-run boarding school in Ogun State, where she endured poor living conditions, including overcrowded dormitories, lack of water, and physical labor.
“There were 300 students in the dormitory, with 20 to 30 girls packed into each room. We fetched water with buckets, and cut grass with machetes,” she said. “It felt like prison.”
Badenoch revealed she traded food for books and lost weight due to poor diet and her dislike for fish. Despite these hardships, she believes the tough environment taught her resilience and shaped her values.
The conversation also touched on her dual identity — British by birth but largely raised in Nigeria. Born in Wimbledon in 1980 through fertility treatments her parents sought in the UK, Badenoch’s early life reflected both privilege and struggle. Her father, a doctor, worked for oil companies during Nigeria’s oil boom, while her mother, Professor Feyi Adegoke, remains a physiology lecturer in Nigeria at 75.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s colonial history, women’s health, and identity, Badenoch offered personal insights on being raised during a time of both affluence and later national decline.
Now a rising star in UK politics, Badenoch attributes much of her strength and ambition to her Nigerian roots including the difficult times.
“It was tough, but I’m grateful for it. It helped make me who I am,” she said.