"Nigeria’s Audacious VP Shettima Critiques Kemi Badenoch: A Man, A Leader Who Rejects His Roots, Adopts an Arab Name, Yet Questions an African Woman’s Identity - The Damned Audacity / Bloody Cheek"

Is it not the height of hypocrisy for someone whose name and worldview are steeped in the residue of Arab-Islamic conquest to critique another African for holding onto a name laden with ancestral pride?

In a recent public statement, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima suggested that Kemi Badenoch, the UK politician of Yoruba descent, could even “remove the Kemi from her name” due to her perceived denigration of Nigeria. 

This comment alone points to a startling lack of self-awareness it also raises interesting questions about mentality, cognition, identity, history, and the hypocrisy in Shettima’s stance. For God-sake he's Vice President of close to 250 Million black people - official estimate.

Let  me unpack Kemi Badenoch’s name:

 Oluwakemi means “God has protected me,” 

Oluwafunto means “God has given me this child to mentor,” 

and 

Adegoke means “Honor/ Crown raises one in life.”

 These are rich, meaningful Yoruba names deeply tied to a culture and heritage that has withstood centuries of colonialism and cultural erasure. Badenoch, despite her controversial political views, wears this heritage visibly without fake hair wigs, even in a context where assimilation into British society might encourage her to hide it.

In stark contrast, Kashim Shettima bears a name with Islamic roots, reflecting the destruction of indigenous Africa at least in his region, reflecting the Arabicization of African identities that accompanied centuries of Islamic influence.

 While he may sincerely practice Islam, it is worth questioning whether he is aware of or values his ancestral, pre-Islamic heritage. 

Has he reflected on the names, religions, and practices of his forebears—those who lived before the introduction of Islam to the Borno region? Or does he, like many others influenced by the dogma of colonial-era Islam, regard those traditions as “demonic” or “backward”?

Shettima’s critique of Kemi confirms a glaring irony. A man who likely dismisses his own indigenous spiritual and cultural roots has the audacity to suggest that an African woman should drop her Yoruba name—one that connects her to her ancestry. 

Is this the same man who claims to be proud of Nigeria as the "greatest Black nation"? 

What is Nigeria’s greatness if its leaders are disconnected from their roots and quick to disparage others for carrying theirs proudly?

This incident also suggests a broader malaise within the Black race, particularly among its men. Why is the critique of Badenoch’s name and implied disloyalty to Nigeria such an urgent matter for Shettima?

 Could it be a reflection of jealousy or resentment? 

If so, jealousy of what? Kemi Badenoch serves an empire that colonized Africa, adopting political positions that often align with imperialistic mentality. 

While her politics deserve scrutiny, this pales in comparison to the buffoonery of a Black leader like Shettima, who fails to confront the glaring contradictions of his own identity while projecting disdain onto another.

Black people, and Black men in particular, must ask: why are we blind to the real issue here? 

The “elephant in the room” is not Kemi Badenoch’s critique of Nigeria but the deeper betrayal of African identity by leaders like Shettima. 

How can we challenge colonialism or imperialism when our leaders are themselves symbols of cultural subjugation? 

Is it not the height of hypocrisy for someone whose name and worldview are steeped in the residue of Arab-Islamic conquest to critique another African for holding onto a name laden with ancestral pride?

Individual self-awareness and accountability. If we continue to prioritize petty jealousies and distractions, we'll lose sight of  deeper issues plaguing us. The question is not whether Kemi Badenoch is right or wrong about Nigeria but whether leaders like Shettima, with all their contradictions, are even qualified to critique her in the first place. If we fail to address this, we risk remaining mired in a cycle of self-inflicted indignities. Buffoonery, savagery.

The real battle for African dignity begins not in European parliaments but in the minds of African leaders who must first reclaim their own identity before demanding loyalty from others.