UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, said she is not interested in laundering the image of Nigeria as Vice-President Kashim Shettima wants her to do.
Mr. Shettima had knocked the Nigerian born British politician on her often critical stance about Nigeria rather than paint a positive image for her fatherland.
Badenoch was born Olukemi Adegoke in the UK in 1980 to Nigerian parents, but she spent her childhood in Lagos, before returning to the UK at 16 years of age. She got married to Hamish Badenoch, a Scottish banker. In October, she became the first black woman to head a major political party in the UK.
She has never shied away from hauling criticism at Nigerian politicians whom she believe can do better and develop the country.
“I grew up in Nigeria, and I saw firsthand what happens when politicians are in it for themselves, when they use public money as their private piggy banks, when they pollute the whole political atmosphere with their failure to serve others,” Miss Badenoch remarked.
Vice President Shettima in a BBC interview said Badenoch was denigrating Nigeria. He urged her to drop her first name Kemi, if she not keen to put Nigeria in a good light. He added that Badenoch should take a cue from former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who never cast aspersions on his home land India.
Responding to Shettima’s submissions a spokesperson for Badenoch said she stood by her statement.
“Kemi is not interested in doing Nigeria’s PR; she is the leader of the opposition in the UK,” the spokesperson said.
“She tells the truth. She tells it like it is. She’s not going to couch her words, and she stands by what she says.”
