“I No Longer Identify as Nigerian” — UK’s Kemi Badenoch Declares on Podcast

By Iyaji Joseph – Akahi News

“I No Longer Identify as Nigerian” — UK’s Kemi Badenoch Declares on Podcast

In a deeply personal and thought-provoking revelation, Kemi Badenoch, the prominent British Conservative Party leader and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, has publicly stated that she no longer identifies as Nigerian — a declaration that is generating waves both in the UK and her country of origin.

Speaking candidly during an episode of the Rosebud podcast, Mrs Badenoch disclosed that she has not held a Nigerian passport for over two decades, further adding that she has not renewed it since the early 2000s. Although of Yoruba heritage and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, the former Equalities Minister explained that her sense of identity has evolved significantly over the years.

“I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s,” Badenoch said during the interview. “I don’t identify with it any more. Most of my life has been in the UK and I’ve just never felt the need to.”

Badenoch, who was born in Wimbledon, London in 1980 to Nigerian parents and spent part of her childhood in Lagos, clarified that while she still has familial ties and a deep understanding of Nigeria, her heart and identity now belong elsewhere.

“I’m Nigerian through ancestry, by birth despite not being born there because of my parents,” she explained. “But by identity I’m not really. I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and I’m very interested in what happens there.”

Yet, her emotional bond lies with her present life in the United Kingdom — her family, her political career, and the institutions she is part of.

“Home is where my now family is,” she affirmed. “And my now family is my children, it’s my husband and my brother and his children, in-laws. The Conservative Party is very much part of my family, my extended family, I call it.”

The 43-year-old minister’s remarks have stirred a spectrum of reactions — from praise for her honesty and clarity of self-identity, to criticism from some who perceive her comments as a disavowal of her roots.

Adding another layer to her story, Badenoch also recounted the experience of having to apply for a visa to attend her father’s funeral in Nigeria in 2022 — a process she described as a “big fandango.” Her late father, Femi Adegoke, was a Nigerian doctor who influenced much of her early life and worldview.

While her political profile in Britain continues to rise, especially as a key figure in the Conservative Party and a potential future leadership contender, her latest remarks shed light on the complexities of diaspora identity — particularly for those who straddle multiple cultures and national affiliations.

Badenoch’s statement marks a significant moment in public discourse around nationality, belonging, and the emotional geography of home, especially among Nigerians in the diaspora. For many, it is a prompt to reflect on what it truly means to belong — whether it is defined by ancestry, geography, citizenship, or personal convictions.

As the world digests this revelation, it is clear that Kemi Badenoch’s journey of self-definition will continue to provoke important conversations on race, identity, loyalty, and national pride — especially at a time when global mobility has made the question of “where is home?” more complex than ever.

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