Renowned social commentator and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has strongly criticized British Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, for her comments on the Nigerian Police.
Badenoch, during a recent interview, accused the Nigerian Police of robbing her family, a statement that has sparked widespread backlash.
In a lengthy post on his X handle, Omokri described Badenoch’s remarks as an “unintelligent political move” and accused her of disdaining her African roots to appease the British establishment. He argued that such rhetoric could alienate a significant portion of the Black African diaspora in the UK, particularly Nigerians, whose support Badenoch’s Conservative Party needs.
Omokri noted that there are nearly 300,000 Nigerians living in the UK, with the number nearing a million when other sub-Saharan Africans are included. Many of these individuals are eligible voters who could significantly impact the outcome of elections.
“Politics is about addition, not subtraction,” Omokri wrote, adding that regular working-class White Britons are more likely to vote for someone who looks like them. He pointed to former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as someone who navigated these dynamics carefully.
Omokri suggested that instead of alienating the Black British vote, Badenoch should focus on espousing Conservative values to retain the support of White upper-class Britons while avoiding comments that demean her heritage.
Omokri further criticized Badenoch for what he described as “self-loathing,” pointing out that her Nigerian accent, though faint, is still detectable. He questioned why she would want to discard her roots and warned that such attitudes could backfire.
“If I were a White Briton, my thinking would be: If she can throw her own kith and kin under the bus, imagine what she can do to us,” he said.
Omokri took issue with Badenoch’s sweeping statement about the Nigerian Police, arguing that while there are bad elements in the force, it is unfair to generalize based on isolated incidents.
“Yes, there are rotten eggs in the Nigerian Police, just as there are in the various British Police departments. But you cannot just generalize and tar everybody with the same brush,” he wrote.
He noted that many Nigerians have encountered more good police officers than bad ones, and Badenoch’s comments could perpetuate harmful stereotypes about Nigeria and its institutions.
https://x.com/renoomokri/status/1868066656926495164?t=gUi0xvUhiKbDn80OlNSSBQ&s=19
Omokri concluded his post by urging Nigerians to consider the broader implications of Badenoch’s remarks. He warned that foreigners who hear such rhetoric may not differentiate between the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian people, ultimately damaging the nation’s image.
“Your value is linked to the value of Nigeria and its institutions,” Omokri asserted, calling on Badenoch to reconsider her approach to addressing issues related to her country of birth.
