A recent claim by UK Conservative MP and prominent Tory figure Kemi Badenoch has ignited fierce backlash after she told CNN that her children “can’t get Nigerian citizenship because I’m a woman.”
The statement, widely viewed as factually incorrect, prompted swift condemnation from legal experts, Nigerians in the diaspora, and political commentator Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who took to Instagram to label the comment “a brazen lie.”
“Kemi Badenoch owes Nigeria an apology,” Mos-Shogbamimu wrote, calling the Tory minister “a shameless political prostitute who weaponises her children for political gain.”
The Law Says Otherwise
Contrary to Badenoch’s assertion, Section 25(1)(c) of the Nigerian Constitution clearly states that any person born outside Nigeria is a citizen by birth if either parent is a Nigerian citizen, without specifying the gender of the parent.
Legal analysts and activists were quick to point this out, accusing Badenoch of misrepresenting Nigerian law to further her political narrative.
“Nigerian citizenship by descent is gender-neutral,” one constitutional expert said. “What she claimed is simply untrue and easily debunked with a quick search.”
Social Media Explodes
In a video that accompanied her Instagram post, Dr. Mos-Shogbamimu blasted Badenoch for attempting to gain political capital by throwing Nigeria “under the bus” on a global news platform.
“She lied on CNN. She didn’t make a mistake; she manufactured a narrative that feeds into misogynistic tropes and paints Nigeria as backward to appear more palatable to white conservative audiences,” she said.
Mos-Shogbamimu, herself a British-Nigerian woman and mother of three, explained that her children hold Nigerian citizenship without any issue, directly contradicting Badenoch’s story.
The Bigger Picture: Identity, Gender, and Political Strategy
Badenoch, often seen as a rising star in the Conservative Party, has built a reputation around controversial takes on race, immigration, and national identity. Critics argue that her latest comment fits a troubling pattern of discrediting African nations while sidestepping Britain’s own colonial legacy.
“She’s not a beacon for the Black diaspora — she’s a tool used to whitewash colonial history,” said one user on X (formerly Twitter).
Others suggested Badenoch’s remark reflects a broader effort to distance herself from her Nigerian roots in a bid to court right-wing favor.
Calls for Accountability
Many are now demanding that Badenoch retract her statement and issue an apology to Nigeria and its people. The Nigerian government has yet to respond, but public sentiment is swelling online.
As Mos-Shogbamimu concluded in her viral post: “Kemi, I beg, keep Nigeria out of your godforsaken mouth.”
Did You Know?
📌 Section 25(1)(c) of the Nigerian Constitution states:
“Every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria is a citizen of Nigeria by birth.”
➡ No gender requirement. No ambiguity.
