It’s both frustrating and disheartening to address the uproar caused by Kemi Badenoch, the recently appointed leader of the UK’s Conservative Party. A woman of Nigerian descent, her remarks about Nigeria have sparked outrage across the country. Some call her unpatriotic, others say she’s a cold realist, but one thing is certain her words hit a raw nerve. Instead of descending into outrage, this moment calls for hard truths and introspection.
Badenoch’s comments were biting. She criticized the Nigerian police while praising their British counterparts, dismissed any connection to northern Nigeria, and referred to Nigeria as a socialist country. The most stinging line? “If I wanted to live in Nigeria, I would have moved back to Nigeria.” For many Nigerians, her words came across as a complete rejection of her roots, as though she were severing ties with the land that birthed her.
But is Badenoch really the problem? Or is she simply exposing a reality we’d rather ignore? Nigeria’s challenges are not new, nor are they secret. UNICEF tells us over 20 million children in Nigeria are out of school the highest in the world. Our power grid has collapsed twelve times this year, plunging millions into darkness. Families are spending more than half their incomes on food, with transportation costs eating up almost everything else. Healthcare is practically non-existent for the poor, and maternal mortality rates are among the highest globally.
Even the rich live like prisoners in their own homes, hidden behind high walls and surrounded by armed guards. For the rest of the population, insecurity has become a daily companion. Boko Haram, kidnappers, and bandits roam free while the state struggles or refuses to respond. Life in Nigeria, for the majority, is a battle for survival.
So, when Badenoch criticized the Nigerian police, was she wrong? Her praise for British law enforcement may have been over the top, but we cannot deny the deep flaws in our system. Corruption, inefficiency, and distrust plague our police force, making it a symbol of the larger failures in governance. Acknowledging this does not make one unpatriotic; it’s simply the truth.
And yet, instead of reflecting on the reality of her words, Nigerians chose outrage. Social media erupted with insults as if dragging her would fix the problems she highlighted. It won’t. Nigerians love to shoot the messenger while ignoring the message. The real tragedy here is not Badenoch’s dismissal of her heritage; it’s our refusal to confront the mess we’re in.
Our leaders have mastered this game. They exploit moments like these to stoke patriotism and deflect attention from their failures. Suddenly, those who have looted and mismanaged the country for decades are the loudest defenders of Nigeria’s honor. But their outrage is a smokescreen. It’s not about love for the country; it’s about preserving the system that keeps them in power.
And we fall for it every time. Instead of holding these leaders accountable, we rally to their defense, attacking outsiders or critics as if that will change anything. Kemi Badenoch is not the cause of Nigeria’s problems. She didn’t build the failed institutions, corrupt the police, or allow insecurity to fester. She didn’t create the conditions that push millions of Nigerians to flee their own country.
Our anger is misplaced. Badenoch’s words, harsh as they may be, should challenge us to do better. If we are so offended by her critique, the solution isn’t to silence her, it’s to prove her wrong. But can we?
Look around. What has changed? The leaders who looted our treasury still hold positions of power. The politicians who promised security and prosperity continue to fail us. Our schools remain underfunded, our hospitals are in shambles, and our roads are death traps. Yet, we waste energy defending the very system that oppresses us.
This isn’t patriotism. It’s a refusal to face reality. True patriotism demands action. It demands accountability. It demands that we stop fighting each other and start fighting for a better Nigeria.
Kemi Badenoch’s remarks are a distraction. The real issue is the rot within. Nigerians are dying daily not just from gunshots or poverty but from the slow, soul-crushing weight of a failed state. And instead of uniting to fix it, we are busy defending a status quo that offers us nothing but misery.
Stop fighting the wrong battle. Don’t let the outrage over Badenoch’s comments blind you to the larger fight. Nigeria doesn’t need more defenders of its failures; it needs warriors for its future. And warriors don’t waste time attacking critics they focus on winning the war.
This is not about Kemi Badenoch. This is about us. Our future. Our children. Our survival. Let this moment be a turning point, not another excuse for denial. We don’t need empty pride. We need action. We need courage. We need change. And that starts with us.
Stephanie Shaakaa
University of Agriculture,
Makurdi,
Benue State
