United Kingdom Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has said she does not want Britain to be like Nigeria, a poor country where bad government destroy lives.
While making her first speech for the year on Thursday, Badenoch said she comes from a poor nation which was destroyed by actions and decisions taken by its leaders.
Badenoch’s comments came amid ongoing frustrations over what she called the long-term effects of Nigeria’s mismanagement and corruption.
The British politician, known for her brash and tough-talking disposition, had previously condemned the Nigerian police, likening them to “armed robbers” due to their treatment of citizens.
Meanwhile, her criticisms, had drawn sharp condemnation from Nigerian officials, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, who urged Badenoch to dissociate from Nigeria entirely if she felt so strongly.
“If she doesn’t want to be associated with the greatest Black nation on earth, she should change her name,” Shettima said.
Badenoch reflected on her personal experiences, sharing, “Why this matters so much to me is because I know what it is like to have something and lose it. I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer and poorer despite working harder as their money disappeared with inflation,” she explained.
The Tory leader also narrated her journey to the UK at age 16, arriving with her father’s last £100 and a hope for a brighter future.
She stressed her determination to ensure the UK avoids the pitfalls of governance that she believes have plagued Nigeria.
“When I came to the UK at 16, I had my father’s last £100 and the hope for a better future. I’ve experienced the consequences of a government that destroys lives, and I never, ever want that to happen here,” Badenoch said.