Kemi Badenoch’s leadership has sparked mixed reactions, with supporters praising her as an inspiration for the Nigerian community while critics express concern over her views on racial equality. Advocating meritocracy, she downplays race’s significance but has faced backlash for dismissing reparations and opposing critical race theory. Her comments could embolden racist sentiments, according to some, and her emphasis on personal success overlooks systemic barriers faced by others. The Conservative Party has not addressed these criticisms.
Concerns Over Kemi Badenoch’s Impact on Racial Equality
Not everyone shares enthusiasm for Kemi Badenoch’s leadership. Critics worry that her background, as a London-born individual to Nigerian parents who spent her formative years in Lagos, could hinder the strides made toward racial equality.
A New Conservative Voice
The 44-year-old former computer engineer embodies the right wing of the Conservative Party, having been elected leader on November 2 following a significant loss in the July elections.
Badenoch champions meritocracy, asserting that she prefers to downplay her race, emphasizing that her skin color should not carry more significance than the color of her hair or eyes.
For Abel Fayemi, a Nigerian immigrant residing in Peckham, South London, the election of Badenoch is a ‘remarkable achievement’ that instills hope among the Nigerian community in Britain, which numbers around 300,000.
Nigerian Ajofoyinbo Oluwajuwon, 24, who has lived in London for six years, views Badenoch as a source of inspiration. ‘A black woman achieving this is truly motivating,’ he remarked.
Similarly, 64-year-old Yahed Lawal supports Badenoch’s stance, stating, ‘Color doesn’t really matter.’
‘USED TO LIGHT OUR GAS’
Despite the support, some of Badenoch’s statements have sparked concern among segments of the black community and anti-racist advocates. During the Conservative Party conference in October 2023, she proclaimed that she informs her children that Britain is ‘the best country in the world to be black because it is a country that sees people, not labels.’
Badenoch referred to calls for reparations for slavery as a ‘scam,’ a viewpoint that advocates argue is crucial for addressing ongoing racial discrimination. Additionally, she has opposed the inclusion of critical race theory in educational curricula—an academic framework that examines how racial biases are integrated into Western institutions.
Previously, Badenoch has voiced that critics aim to ‘silence people like me’ simply because they assume all black individuals should share identical views. In a 2020 interview with the Spectator magazine, she criticized the ‘leftist view of racial politics’ as the supposed consensus among black individuals.
The Conservative Party has not provided a comment regarding these concerns.
Badenoch, known for her stringent views on immigration, previously backed a plan to deport asylum seekers who entered Britain unlawfully to Rwanda, a proposal later rescinded by the new Labour government.
In a September article, she stated that not all cultures should be deemed equally valid when considering immigration policies, insisting that newcomers to Britain must embrace its values.
She further clarified on the BBC that she was referring to ‘cultures that endorse practices like child marriage or those that view women as unequal to men.’
Janett Walker, CEO of Anti Racist Cumbria, commented that Badenoch’s approach could be ‘utilized outside of politics to shed light on our issues,’ adding, ‘Denial stems from someone who has yet to embrace British values: denial comes from someone who resembles me.’
According to the British Commission for Equality and Human Rights, black individuals experience higher unemployment rates, lower earnings, more frequent occurrences of living in inadequate housing, and increased rates of prosecution and conviction.
Nels Abbey, a British-Nigerian writer who has called out Badenoch’s views on social media, expressed that her rhetoric might encourage some to express racist sentiments without feeling the burden of being labeled as racist, as such views may be projected onto a black individual.
Annabel Sowemimo, a British-Nigerian and founder of the Reproductive Justice Initiative aimed at addressing health and racial disparities, criticized Badenoch for highlighting her own success as purely merit-based while overlooking the systemic barriers, such as racism, that others face. ‘It would be far more commendable if she had confronted sexism and racism to attain her position, yet she did not,’ Sowemimo stated. ‘That is what drew many supporters to her candidacy.’