UK-based pastor Tobi Adegboyega has countered British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch’s remarks about Nigeria, asserting that societal challenges are not exclusive to the West African country but also prevalent in the UK. Badenoch had recently criticized the Nigerian police and governance system, drawing a sharp contrast between her experiences in Nigeria and the UK.
In an interview, Badenoch recalled negative encounters with the Nigerian police, alleging they robbed her family and took her brother’s shoes and watch. She attributed such behavior to systemic poverty, saying, “It’s a very poor country. Giving people a gun is just a licence to intimidate.” She contrasted this with her experience in the UK, where she described the police as helpful and effective. Badenoch recounted a burglary incident in 2004, emphasizing that British police acted promptly and eventually caught the culprit. She argued that the differences between the two nations’ police forces are rooted in broader structural disparities.
However, Pastor Adegboyega challenged her perspective, arguing that crime and societal dysfunctions are not unique to Nigeria. Speaking during Channels TV’s Politics Today, he pointed to alarming statistics from the UK, including widespread thefts and violence. “Between 2023 and 2024, about 78,000 bags and phones were snatched in the UK alone,” Adegboyega stated, suggesting that crime is a global issue and not confined to developing nations.
He also highlighted systemic challenges faced by black communities in the UK, especially immigrants from Nigeria and other African countries. Referring to historical struggles like the Windrush generation, he noted the persistent fight for equality and representation in British society. “For people like the leader of the opposition to get to that position, they’ve been fighting on the street,” Adegboyega remarked, referencing the obstacles black individuals face in achieving leadership roles in the UK.
Adegboyega also discussed the prevalence of violence and youth-related crimes in Britain. He cited instances of young black individuals being killed in violent altercations and recalled a tragic case where three children from the same family were buried after falling victim to violence. He questioned the silence of influential voices in addressing these issues within the black and Nigerian communities in the UK.
Moreover, he expressed concern about the disproportionate number of young black people in UK prisons and mental health facilities compared to schools. “We know that prisons and mostly mental hospitals have more young black people than schools in the UK,” he said, calling attention to systemic inequalities within British society.
While acknowledging that Nigeria faces significant challenges, Adegboyega emphasized that these issues should be viewed in the context of the country’s relative youth compared to advanced economies like Britain. “We are not denying the fact that our country has issues, but we cannot say things are all dark because it’s not true,” he argued, stressing that every nation has its share of struggles.
Adegboyega also defended the contributions of his now-defunct church, SPAC Nation, which was shut down by British authorities over allegations of mismanaging £1.87 million in funds. He highlighted the church’s efforts to uplift young people, including facilitating access to prestigious institutions like Harvard, Cambridge, and Imperial College. He stated that SPAC Nation had worked to change the narrative about black and Nigerian communities in the UK by focusing on education and empowerment.
The pastor concluded by urging a more balanced perspective when comparing nations. While he acknowledged the need for reform in Nigeria, he argued that portraying the country in an entirely negative light is unfair. “We live on the street and know what is going on here,” Adegboyega said, referring to his firsthand experiences in the UK.
Adegboyega’s remarks serve as a rebuttal to Badenoch’s comments, highlighting that societal challenges are universal and not limited to Nigeria. He called for recognition of both the progress and challenges faced by nations, urging leaders and influencers to approach such comparisons with fairness and context.