Diaspora commission reveals unanswered outreach to Kemi Badenoch
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: Kemi Badenoch launches her Conservative Party Leadership campaign on September 02, 2024 in London, England. Badenoch launched her campaign under the name Renewal2030, outlining what the Conservative party must stand for in 2030. The former Business Secretary and Equalities Minister under Rishi Sunak, has served as the MP for North West Essex (formerly Saffron Walden) since 2017. She joined the Conservative Party in 2005 at the age of 25. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
The Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed that her office had reached out to the newly elected UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, but has yet to receive a response.
In an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Dabiri-Erewa emphasized that Nigeria would not pressure Badenoch to embrace her Nigerian heritage if she chooses not to.
The NiDCOM head explained that the Commission remains open to engaging with Nigerians abroad who honor their roots, welcoming their contributions to the nation’s global image.
Dabiri-Erewa shared the example of a former Miss Universe Nigeria who reconnected with her Nigerian identity after encountering challenges in South Africa, underscoring NiDCOM’s readiness to support those who recognize and celebrate their Nigerian heritage.
“It depends on whether she embraces her Nigerian identity. We reached out to her once or twice, but there was no response. We don’t force anyone to acknowledge being Nigerian,” she explained.
Badenoch, born in London in 1980, spent part of her childhood in Lagos and the United States, where her mother was a lecturer.
