We reached out to Badenoch without any response – Dabiri-Erewa

The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, says her office has made efforts to reach out to the newly elected leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch without any response.

On Saturday, the Conservatives elected Badenoch as its new leader, replacing Rishi Sunak, following the July general election.

Badenoch emerged top in the two-horse race with former immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

The 44-year-old who becomes the first black leader of a UK-wide political party, after polled 57 percent of the votes of party members.

When asked on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Wednesday if the Nigerian government has identified with Badenoch, Dabiri-Erewa said, “It depends on if she identifies the Nigerianess in her. We have reached out to her once or twice without any response, so we don’t force people to accept to be Nigerian.

“If you appreciate the Nigerianess in you and you want to work with us, we are open to everybody, but we cannot force you to appreciate the Nigerianess in you. You remember the Miss Universe Nigeria in South Africa.

“Until she got into a little problem with South Africa she identified with Nigeria, and she identified with Nigeria, came to Nigeria and we hosted her. As long as that blood is in you, you are a Nigerian.”

Dabiri-Erewa added that it depends on Badenoch to decide whether she appreciates the Nigerianess in her, and whether she wants to work with Nigeria, but they cannot force anybody.

Badenoch was born in London in 1980, but spent her childhood living in Lagos, Nigeria, and in the United States, where her mother lectured.