Nigerian-born Dutch entrepreneur Dr. Wiebe Boer has criticised UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch for publicly renouncing her Nigerian identity, calling the stance “deeply problematic.”
Boer, who was born and raised in Nigeria but holds Dutch citizenship, shared his views in a LinkedIn post on Friday, emphasising that Nigeria remains central to his sense of self regardless of his current nationality or residence.
Badenoch, born in the UK to Nigerian parents, recently stated she no longer identifies as Nigerian. In an appearance on the Rosebud podcast with Gyles Brandreth, she revealed she has not renewed her Nigerian passport in over two decades, distancing herself from her ancestry and formative years in the country.
Boer argued that such declarations risk sending the wrong message about heritage, representation, and the value of cultural roots.
“I’m Nigerian through ancestry, by birth, despite not being born there because of my parents, but by identity I’m not really.
“I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there, and I’m very interested in what happens there,” Badenoch said.
Read also: Nigerian Kemi Badenoch Joins UK’s PM Race
But Boer wrote, “As 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 — not just as heritage, but as part of the engine that drives who I am.
“So, I found it deeply problematic to hear that UK opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch — born in the UK to Nigerian parents — has chosen to disassociate from Nigeria, saying she no longer identifies as Nigerian.”
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.
“Why? Because I’ve never heard Obama disavow Kenya or Indonesia — even while running for president of the United States . I’ve never heard Sunak disassociate from his Indian or East African roots.
“In fact, it seems that identifying with Nigeria has never been more on trend in the UK — not for optics, but because the impact of Nigerians across British life is too real to ignore.”
He went on to underscore the impact of Nigerians on British life, reeling off a list of prominent names spanning 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.
In sports alone, he pointed to figures such as Maro Itoje, captain of England Rugby and The British & Irish Lions, as well as Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, and Ethan Nwaneri — all of Nigerian descent and making their mark on English football.