Former Nigerian Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has issued a strong caution to Kemi Badenoch, UK Conservative Party leader, urging her to desist from making disparaging remarks about Nigeria on international platforms.
Gists9ja reports that during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Akinyemi criticized Badenoch for what he described as a recurring pattern of negative comments about Nigeria, asserting that such actions are both unnecessary and counterproductive.
Akinyemi argued that Badenoch, who has Nigerian roots, is making a grave mistake by portraying her heritage in a negative light as a means of advancing her political career. Instead, he advised her to channel her energy into strengthening her party and addressing political challenges in the United Kingdom.
“How does the daughter of a UNILAG professor and a medical doctor, a girl who attended the International School at UNILAG, portray herself as though she grew up selling groundnuts and water on the streets of Lagos to advance her political ambitions?” Akinyemi asked.
He added, “She will soon learn that throwing your people and culture under the bus for personal gain is a mistake. There are limits to how far this approach will take her. For now, she should focus on restoring the right-wing profile of her Conservative Party, especially with the emergence of an even more right-leaning political group in the UK. She should leave Nigeria out of her rhetoric.”
The former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) further emphasized that Badenoch’s remarks could alienate her from her heritage and lead to unnecessary controversy, urging her to adopt a more constructive approach to her political career.
The remarks from Akinyemi have reignited discussions around the representation of Nigeria and African heritage by diaspora politicians, particularly those seeking to carve a niche in foreign political landscapes.
