Throws Shade at Shettima
- Safiu Kehinde
Leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has again stirred the ongoing truce between her and Vice President Kashim Shettima as she claimed she identified more as Yoruba than as a ‘Nigerian’.
Kemi stated this in a recent with British outlet The Spectator.
Further reacting to Shettima’s accusation of her denigrating Nigeria, the British politician threw shades at the Vice President, stressing that she has nothing in common with people in northern Nigeria, which is a haven for Islamism and Boko Haram.
“I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity [Yoruba],”
“I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is,” she said.
Badenoch has been subjected to constant backlash from many Nigerians, including public figures, in recent months due to her criticism of the country.
She had over time been vocal about the rampant corruption and volatile security climate when discussing Nigeria in the British media.
This triggered Shettima’s call for her to remove ‘Kemi’ from her name and denounced her identity with her country of descent while speaking at an event last week.
NPO reported that the Nigerian Vice President compared Kemi with other prominent personnel in the UK and United States who are of migrants descent.
He cited former UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, amongst others who never denigrate their country of descent.
Meanwhile, Kemi reportedly held that being Yoruba is her true identity as refused to be lumped up with northern people of Nigeria, who “were our ethnic enemies” all in the name of being called a Nigerian.
Ms Badenoch added, “Somebody once told me when I was very young that my surname was a name for people who were warriors. They protected the crown, and that’s what I see myself as doing.”
The British politician added, “I am here to protect and I will die protecting this country because I know what’s out there.”