Kemi Badenoch, Nigerian-born British citizen and leader of the Conservative Party has stirred the hornet nest for dissociating herself from the country because of the North. She also made controversial and denigrating statements against Nigeria.
Kemi, in an interview granted to the media, accused Nigerian police officers of stealing her brother’s wristwatch and shoes. She further explained her harrowing experience growing up in the country and above all disparaging northern Nigeria as a haven of Boko Haram and extremists. The viral statements credited to her have since attracted mixed reactions in the country. Some Nigerians believe that Kemi Badenoch stated the obvious facts about the Nigerian leadership failure, and by extension, the Nigeria Police, whose conduct and unethical practices have tainted their reputation.
Professor Farooq Kperogi, a professor of Journalism and Emerging Media from the Kennesaw State University, US, in his insightful and educating article entitled, “Kemi Badenoch’s Yoruba identify meets inconvenient truth” has put the record straight. Besides, it seems Kemi has forgotten or did not read Nigerian history very well. For instance, the British colonial masters adopted indirect rule in the North. Indirect rule is a system of administration in which traditional rulers were used by Lord Lugard to collect taxes for administrative purposes. The portion of such taxes collected from the people of Northern Nigeria was outrightly channelled to develop the much-loved Kemi’s second home.
While Kemi descended heavily on Nigerian police officers for unethical behaviour, she remained mute on the racist British police officers under whose watch negro suffer abuse and humiliation.
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With the uncouth and uncomplimentary statement against her ancestral home, Kemi Badenoch has proven beyond reasonable doubt that she will not toe the path of other Nigerians, who despite taking up international jobs come to serve their country. The likes of Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Amina Mohammed, Akinwumi Adesina and Isa Pate, to mention but a few have made our country proud.
Kemi Badenoch will like to become a future PM. With her crass display of inferior complex and diatribe, one can imagine the type of prime minister she will be. It is high time Kemi Badenoch discarded her primitive orientation and align with her country of origin.
Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua wrote from Kaduna State
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