The special adviser on public communications and media to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, has expressed his disappointment with UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch’s recent criticisms of Nigeria.
Bwala condemned Badenoch for what he described as denigrating her home country to appease the far-right political base in the UK.
Recall that in her first speech of the year on Thursday, Ms Badenock said she did not want Britain to be like “poor” Nigeria, where terrible government destroy lives
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has,” said Ms Badenoch. “I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer and poorer despite working harder as their money disappeared with inflation.”
“I came back to the UK at 16 with my father’s last £100 and a hope of a better life. So, I’ve lived with the consequences of a terrible government that destroys lives, and I never ever want that to happen here.”
In a tweet on Sunday, Bwala reacted to Badenoch’s remarks, in which she claimed that Nigerian governments destroy lives. He expressed concern that she was using her country of origin as a tool to gain favour with extreme right-wing groups in the UK.
Bwala emphasized that while Badenoch is intelligent and has made commendable strides in UK politics, her rhetoric about Nigeria is troubling. He compared her comments to those of her predecessor, Rishi Sunak, who, according to Bwala, never resorted to disparaging India to please far-right factions. He also criticized Badenoch for promoting damaging narratives against Nigeria, stating that Sunak never weaponized issues like gang rape in India, despite it being his home country.
“I truly wish that sister @KemiBadenoch would avoid denigrating Nigeria, the country of her origin, as a weapon to please her far-right base,” Mr Bwala said in a reaction to Ms Badenoch’s remarks that Nigerian governments destroy lives.
The presidential aide said Ms Badenoch “is smart, intelligent and we are proud of her rise in the politics of the UK; but we are equally saddened by her terrible rhetoric against Nigeria.”
“Rishi Sunak never weaponised the gang rape and other vices in India, the country of his origin, just so he would impress the far right base.”