British Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has revealed how a formative experience during her school years in Nigeria shaped her strong stance on integrity and rule-following.
In an interview with journalists on a popular British TV channel, Badenoch recounted how, at the age of 14 or 15, she stood up during an exam in Nigeria and accused a fellow pupil of cheating, an action that ultimately led to the boy being expelled from school.
“I didn’t get praised for it. I was a relatively popular kid at school, and people said, ‘Why did you do that? Why would you do it?’ I said, ‘Because he was doing the wrong thing,’” she said, reflecting on her deep-rooted dislike for rule-breakers.
The Tory leader during the interview yesterday, also shared how her upbringing in Nigeria helped shape her political values and character, even as her views on the country have evolved over time.
Elsewhere in the interview, Badenoch talked about how she lost her faith in God but still considers herself a “cultural Christian” and about the lack of ambition some teachers in the UK had for black children in the 1990s.
Last week, the consecutive leader said she no longer identified as Nigerian, a comment that elicited a strong reaction in Nigeria, with a number of political figures accusing her of consistently portraying the country in a negative light.
Badenoch has previously drawn criticism from citizens over her comments about the country’s corruption and military rule.
In December, Nigeria’s vice president remarked that she was free to remove “Kemi” from her name if she was not proud of her heritage.
In response, her spokesman said that Badenoch “stands by what she says” and emphasized that she “is not the PR for Nigeria.”
Now a key figure in British politics, Badenoch moved to the UK at age 16 to further her education.
Since becoming leader of the Conservative Party in November last year, the party has suffered major setbacks, losing control of 10 local authorities to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and dropping to third or fourth place in national opinion polls.
Despite these challenges, Badenoch has called for patience from her supporters, noting that “The leader of the opposition’s job gets harder before it gets easier.”
“I am somebody who people have always tried to write off, and I have always succeeded,” she added. “And I believe that I can do that with the Conservative Party.”
