Conservative Party’s Badenoch says no longer identifies as Nigerian

Kemi Badenoch who was born in London but grew up in Nigeria and the United States said she had not renewed her Nigerian passport since 2000.

Appearing on a podcast, the Conservative Party leader said she valued her Nigerian ancestry but that her British identity came first.

Badenoch was among the last people in 1980 to automatically receive British citizenship because she was born in the UK. 

The birthright citizenship policy was removed the following year.

After spending time in the US and Nigeria, Badenoch returned to the UK aged 16 to finish secondary school, and to escape the worsening political and economic situation in the west African country.

Badenoch is a controversial figure in Nigeria, where she has often criticized corruption and insecurity.

Last year, Nigeria’s vice president accused her of disrespecting the country, even suggesting that she drop her first name.

Badenoch told the Rosebud prodcast that she never felt as if she belonged as a child in Nigeria.