UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has made a revealing statement about her personal identity, stating that she no longer feels a connection to Nigeria, the country where she spent a part of her childhood.
Speaking during an episode of the Rosebud podcast on Friday, Badenoch disclosed that she has not renewed her Nigerian passport in over two decades. Her remarks have sparked conversations around national identity, diaspora experiences, and political belonging.
Kemi Badenoch.
While Badenoch admitted she still follows Nigerian news and current affairs with some level of interest, she made it clear that her emotional and political identity is now rooted firmly in the United Kingdom, where she resides with her family and plays a significant role in national politics.
“I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s,” she shared during the podcast. She added that her decision was not a sudden one, but rather a gradual shift stemming from years of living and working in the UK.
“I’ve never quite felt that I belonged there,” she continued. “I don’t identify with it (Nigeria) anymore, most of my life has been in the UK and I’ve just never felt the need to.”
Badenoch, now 45 years old, was born in Wimbledon, South West London, but moved to Nigeria during her early years. However, she eventually returned to the UK, a move that was heavily influenced by her parents’ perception of Nigeria’s uncertain prospects at the time.
Reflecting on her family’s decision, she explained: “I think the reason that I came back here was actually a very sad one, and it was that my parents thought, ‘there is no future for you in this country’.”
Her remarks shed light on a common narrative shared by many in the diaspora — the emotional complexity of dual heritage, and the difficult decisions made by immigrant families in search of better opportunities. Badenoch’s honesty about her disconnection from Nigeria has triggered both praise and criticism online, further fueling public debate about national identity and belonging.[/p>