A Nigerian-born Dutch entrepreneur, Dr. Wiebe Boer, has faulted the decision of United Kingdom opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch, to publicly distance herself from Nigeria, describing the move as โdeeply problematic.โ
Boer, who was born and raised in Nigeria but holds Dutch citizenship, expressed his displeasure in a LinkedIn post on Friday, stressing that Nigeria remains a core part of his identity regardless of where he works or lives.
Badenoch, born in the UK to Nigerian parents, recently stated that she no longer identified as Nigerian, a position Boer said sends the wrong message about heritage and representation.
Speaking on the Rosebud podcast with Gyles Brandreth, Badenoch disclosed that she had not renewed her Nigerian passport in over 20 years and no longer identifies as Nigerian, despite her ancestry and upbringing in the country.
โIโm Nigerian through ancestry, by birth, despite not being born there because of my parents, but by identity Iโm not really.
โI know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and Iโm very interested in what happens there,โ Badenoch said.
But Boer wrote, โAs a proud Nigerian-born and raised Dutchman, I claim Nigeria anywhere and everywhere. From boardrooms in Amsterdam to classrooms in Michigan and hospitals in Guyana, Nigeria is always in my story โ not just as heritage, but as part of the engine that drives who I am.
โSo, I found it deeply problematic to hear that UK opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch โ born in the UK to Nigerian parents โ has chosen to disassociate from Nigeria, saying she no longer identifies as Nigerian.โ
Citing global leaders such as former US President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Boer argued that public figures rarely renounce their ancestral heritage even when their political careers are rooted elsewhere.
โWhy? Because Iโve never heard Obama disavow Kenya or Indonesia โ even while running for president of the United States . Iโve never heard Sunak disassociate from his Indian or East African roots.
โIn fact, it seems that identifying with Nigeria has never been more on trend in the UK โ not for optics, but because the impact of Nigerians across British life is too real to ignore.โ
He went on to highlight the influence of Nigerians in British life, listing prominent figures across sports, film, music, boxing, politics, religion, literature, and business, from England footballer, Bukayo Saka and actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, to boxer, Anthony Joshua, and novelist, Ben Okri.
โThink about it: In sports: Maro Itoje, captain of England Rugby and The British & Irish Lions; Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, and Ethan Nwaneri โ all proudly of Nigerian descent, lighting up English football.
โIn film: Academy Award-nominated actors like Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cynthia Erivo, David Oyelowo, Sophie Okonedo โ all household names. Or Academy Award winner Colin Firth, who grew up in Yola, Nigeria. In music: From Seal and Sade to todayโs breakout star Dave โ Nigerian heritage runs deep.
โIn boxing: Anthony Joshua and rising star Moses Itauma โ both of Nigerian origin.
โIn religion and politics: Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, once worked in Nigeriaโs oil industry in Port Harcourt; same with former UK Prime Minister John Major, who had a banking stint in Jos early in his career.
โIn athletics: Olympic legends like Daley Thompson and Christine Ohuruogu.
In literature: Booker Prize-winner Ben Okri.
In business: Visionaries like Tom Ilube, CBE, and Obi Nwosu.โ
Boer also pointed to Nigerian-founded or Nigerian-led companies with a strong UK presence, such as Helios Investment Partners, IHS Towers, Seplat Energy, and Guaranty Trust Bank, noting their economic contributions through jobs, capital, and innovation.
โAnd letโs not forget the hard economic facts. Companies with Nigerian roots โ Helios Investment Partners, IHS Towers, Hellenic Bottling (Coca-Cola HBC), Seplat Energy Plc and #GTBank โ are either listed on the London Stock Exchange or have major headquarters in the UK. These firms arenโt just flying the flag โ theyโre contributing real jobs, capital, and innovation to the British economy,โ he added.
He added that it was possible to criticise a country without renouncing it, adding that Nigeria continues to shape โsome of the best stories and people.
โThe point? Nigeria continues to shape global excellence โ and the UK is a major beneficiary of that.
โChoosing to distance oneself from Nigeria isnโt neutral. It says something. And for those of us who know the complexity, beauty, pain, and power of our homeland โ it stings.
โYou can critique a country without renouncing it. Thatโs what leaders do. Thatโs what representation demands.
โIโll always claim Nigeria. Every day, everywhere. Because itโs still shaping some of the best stories โ and people โ the UK (and the world) has to offer,โ he concluded.
