Dutch-Nigerian Entrepreneur Criticises Kemi Badenoch for Rejecting Nigerian Identity

Dutch businessman Dr. Wiebe Boer has criticised UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch for saying she no longer identifies as Nigerian.

Badenoch, born in Britain to Nigerian parents, recently said on a podcast that she has not held a Nigerian passport for over two decades and does not consider the country part of her identity.

Boer, who grew up in Nigeria, described the stance as “deeply problematic,” arguing that heritage should not be abandoned. “I claim Nigeria anywhere and everywhere,” he wrote, adding that public figures should embrace their roots rather than distance themselves from them.

He pointed to leaders like Barack Obama and Rishi Sunak, who maintain strong connections to their ancestral backgrounds, and stressed that Nigeria continues to produce people and businesses making global contributions.

“You can criticise a country without renouncing it. That’s what leaders do,” Boer said.