Kemi Badenock: Testimony To The Nigerian Can-do Spirit

The election of Kemi Badenock as leader of Opposition and leader of the British Conservative Party is a testimony that with diligence, people can rise to be what they want anywhere if the conditions are favourable, and irrespective of the circumstances of where and how they were born.

Kemi’s emergence enhances belief and conviction that Nigerians can leave the shores of this country and excel tremendously in their countries of sojourn. But they must be disciplined, diligent and law-abiding.

Indeed, and increasingly, Nigerians in the Diaspora have demonstrated not just the ability to adapt and master the ropes in foreign countries, they top the game in different sectors- medicine, sports, politics, business and entertainment. For instance, Professor Iyalla Elvis Peterside, a neonatologist of Nigerian origin was named America’s Best Physician by the US National Consumer Advisory Board in 2020. There are more. In the field of politics, eight Nigerian Americans were elected into top political positions in the 2022 US mid-term elections, representing different districts. They were acknowledged by the head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for making Nigerians proud. Even in the recent November 5 election, one of them, Oye Owolewa was re-elected into US congress as Shadow Representative for Washington DC.

Kemi Badenock’s success story is therefore not a surprise to many Nigerians. She deserves congratulation. Her political history shows that at 44, she has emerged the first black woman to lead a major political party in the UK. She had served in the Cabinet under former Prime Minister, Liz Truss as well as under Rishi Sunak from 2022 to 2024. She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Essex since 2017. Under former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Badenock served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families. In 2020, she was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasure and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities. In September 2021, she was promoted to Minister of State for Equalities and appointed Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities.

In July 2022, when Johnson’s government was troubled, Badenock resigned and contested to lead the party, but was unsuccessful. When Liz Truss became Prime Minister, Badenock was appointed Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade. Rishi Sunak reappointed her Secretary of Trade after Truss’ brief stay. She was also appointed Minister for Women and Equalities. She became Secretary of State for Business and Trade in February 2023, after the merger of the Department for International Trade and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. She also retained the responsibilities of Women and Equalities Minister. After their party lost the 2024 general election, Badenock was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

In February 2024 as Minister for Business and Trade, she was in Nigeria for a three-day visit to deepen the UK-Nigerian partnership and did explore current and potential investment and trade opportunities, from education to infrastructure and energy.

Her impressive rise and staying power at a little over 40 years can be attributed to personal commitment, discipline and focus. Equally, her parents deserve commendation for the quality upbringing of their daughter. Daughter to Nigerian immigrants, Femi Adegoke, a General Practitioner (GP) and activist for the rights of the Yoruba people; and Feyi Adegoke, a professor of Physiology in America and at the University of Lagos, Kemi was given birth to in St Teresa’s private hospital in the UK. She spent her childhood in Lagos and in the United States. She studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Sussex, and holds a Master of Engineering (Meng) degree in 2003.

Notably, the British system that has evolved as an equal opportunities provider to those who have proved themselves on merit, irrespective of colour or creed, is also commendable and worthy of emulation. A system that enables anybody to rise to the highest professional or political position in the country so long they are proficient at what they do has a lot of lessons for other countries. This attitude of inclusivity to other countries that have a tendency to welcome appreciable immigrants’ population is recommendable, as the world continues to experience shifts in demographics.

Geo-political groupings here at home that have become intolerant of people from other parts of their country should learn from this. Many decades ago, Nigerians were more tolerant and accommodating of one another in the political sphere. Regrettably, that is no longer the case. If Nigerians are allowed to participate in politics and run for high offices in foreign countries where they are immigrants, there is no reason why they should be discriminated against at home. It is retrogressive and barbaric. It is time to allow values of meritocracy to define who we are as a people.

Badenock is noted to be a right-winger, holding positions that are not particularly soft on immigration. She should take into account her own history as a descendant of immigrants. As she matures with age and experience, she should get more cosmopolitan and accommodating of the challenges of countries and societies with whom the UK share a commonwealth of history and experiences.

We wish her more success and outstanding political career.