The Conservative Party leader in the United Kingdom, Kemi Badenoch, has expressed concerns about the consequences of “terrible governments” like Nigeria’s and vowed to prevent such outcomes in Britain.
Badenoch made these remarks on Thursday while delivering her first speech of the year at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank focused on economic and social issues.
Highlighting the need for systemic reform and emphasising trust in the Conservative Party, Badenoch drew parallels between Nigeria’s governance failures and potential risks for the UK if critical changes are not made.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch said during her speech.
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“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
However, this is not the first time the Conservative Party leader has taken a swipe at Nigeria. Tribune Online reports that Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, criticised her a few weeks ago for denigrating her country of origin.
Badenoch, who was born in the UK but was largely raised in Nigeria, has often spoken about the challenges of growing up in a country marked by corruption and insecurity.
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