The Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has lamented that her agency’s effort to reach out to UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was snubbed as she received no response from her.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while speaking on Channels Television, stressed that Nigeria would not force Badenoch to embrace her Nigerian roots if she chose otherwise. “It depends on whether she embraces her Nigerian identity. We reached out to her once or twice, but there was no response. We don’t force anyone to acknowledge being Nigerian,” Dabiri-Erewa explained.
The head of NiDCOM praised the commission’s willingness to interact with Nigerians living overseas who consciously decide to honour their culture. She gave the example of a former Miss Universe Nigeria who, after overcoming obstacles in South Africa, reconnected with her Nigerian heritage.
“She then identified with Nigeria, came to Nigeria, and we hosted her. If the Nigerian blood is in you, you’re always a Nigerian,” she added.
Badenoch, born in London in 1980, spent part of her childhood in Lagos and later in the United States, where her mother worked as a lecturer.
Wrapping off her comments, Dabiri-Erewa emphasised that Badenoch retains the freedom to choose to identify as Nigerian and reaffirmed NiDCOM’s willingness to interact with anyone who does so. She said although her office is open to working with anyone who identifies as Nigerian, it cannot be coerced.
