Social critic Aisha Yesufu has criticized the UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, for allegedly using what she termed a “Nigerian poverty mentality” to justify lowering standards in the United Kingdom.
Yesufu’s comments, shared on her X (formerly Twitter) handle, were a response to Badenoch’s remarks about her Nigerian upbringing. Badenoch reportedly described her experience in Nigeria as marked by fear, insecurity, and systemic corruption. She also allegedly stated that she has little in common with Nigeria’s northern region, despite identifying as Yoruba.
Recently, Badenoch defended her remarks, insisting they were justified despite backlash accusing her of denigrating Nigeria. She also criticized Nigeria’s police structure during her statements. Yesufu, however, argued that the UK plays a role in enabling corruption in Nigeria by providing a haven for looted wealth. She called out Badenoch for making unnecessary comparisons between Nigeria and the UK, urging her to “grow up and move on.”
In her post, Yesufu wrote:
“Kemi Badenoch should grow up and move on! Context is everything! She was asked if she trusts the British police. How is what happened with the Nigerian police relevant to determining trust in the British police?
“What also brought in our poverty?“If the UK didn’t provide an enabling environment for looted Nigerian wealth, ‘poor’ and ‘Nigeria’ wouldn’t even be in the same sentence.“Just because the bar is low in Nigeria doesn’t mean she should lower the bar for British policing. She should not use her Nigerian poverty mentality to lower standards there!“Nigerian Police, you see your life? Always disgracing us!”
Yesufu’s critique reflects broader frustrations among Nigerians over the perception of their country on the global stage and the role of external powers in perpetuating systemic issues.
