Lord Lugard, Kashim Shetima and Kemi Badenoch: The Nigerian Project from three deflecting points
Kashim Shettima Mustapha GCON is the 15th and current vice president of Nigeria. He previously served as senator for Borno Central from 2019 to 2023, and as the governor of Borno State from 2011 to 2019. He was Born on the 2nd September 1966 (age 58 years), in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Previous offices VP Shettima has held are the Member of the Senate of Nigeria (2019–2023), Governor of Borno State (2011–2019). He is the son of ShettimaMustafa OFR, a Nigerian academic and had served as various times as Minister of Interior of Nigeria (2009 to 2010), Minister of Defence (2008 to 2009), and Minister of Agriculture and Food security (1990 to 1992). Ironically, David Maddox, the Political Editor of the Independent on the 15th December 2024 reminded his readers that Shettima was governor of Borno State when 276 mostly Christian Chibok girls were kidnapped by the Islamist extremist terror group Boko Haram in 2014. The headline read: “Nigerian VP who attacked Kemi Badenoch was accused of failures when Boko Haram kidnapped 200 girls” The link to the story is pasted below:
–https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-nigeria-kashim-shettima-b2663275.html
Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch is a British politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party since November 2024. She is the first Black person to hold those offices, Badenoch previously served in the Cabinet under Liz Truss anRishi Sunak from 2022 to 2024. She was born on the 2nd of January 1980 (age 44 years) in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. It must be noted that she had her formative years in Nigeria. Her father, the now late Dr. Femi Adegoke was a Medical doctor and Yoruba Nationalist activist in Lagos, and her mother, Feyi Adegoke was a Professor of Physiology at the University of Lagos.
From every indication, both Kashim Shetima and Kemi Adegoke Badenoch are distinguished Nigerians, born into distinguished families, and ordinarily should use their backgrounds, their offices and statuses to collaborate in the promotion of the Nigerian state. However, that is not to be as both were born into different ethnic groups in different regions of the country, and perhaps had different experiences about Nigeria. The VP based on his background grew up privileged as the son of a Northern aristocrat politician who had held very high offices. Kemi Badenoch grew up in an equally privileged home given the careers of her parents who could afford to have her in the United Kingdom, but her experience was not of an aristocrat, rather as a daughter of an activist who was obviously dissatisfied with the Nigerian project and has aligned himself more with his Yoruba ethnic group whom he may have believed did not have the benefits of the Northern aristocrat. Both their backgrounds, family values and experiences have affected both.
The issue is that both are victims of Frederick Lord Lugard amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914.
The amalgamation was an administrative fiat of Nigeria by the British colonialist overlord for economic and administrative convenience. The Northern protectorate predominantly Muslim and animist and the Southern protectorate largely Christians were aggressively “westernizing”. The two protectorates were culturally apart, yet in 1914 Lord Frederick Lugard amalgamated them. Lord Lugard was only interested in administrative and cost management convenience, and economic benefits to British Empire and British companies. However, his action seem to have bedevilled Nigeria from then till date, and it was echoed very loudly by Kemi Badenoch when in responding to Kashim Shetima declared that “… I identify as Yoruba more than Nigerian. I have nothing in common with people from the northern part of the country…” She alluded that the northerners were her ethnic enemies that had ended up being lumped with her Yoruba ethnic group. Bottom line from her is that Nigeria is only a space that forcefully holds different ethnic groups against their wishes.
Understandably, her comments drew a lot of comments on the traditional and social media, drinking pubs, even on the streets. Every Nigerian that is conscious enough had something to say no matter where that Nigerian resides, either home or overseas. Just like Kemi Badenoch, many Nigerians live overseas, some have dual nationalities and have distinguished themselves in whichever country that the reside, but especially in the USA, Canada and the UK. The New York Times reported on the 12th December 2024 that the president elect of the USA, Donald Trump tap Mr. Boulos a possible Middle East adviser. The link to the story is below:
(https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/world/africa/trump-massad-boulos-middle-east.html)
The fact to note here is that Mr. Boulos is the father of Michael Boulos a Lebanese-Nigerian national who was born in the US, lived in Lebanon for a bit, but mostly grew up in Nigeria, and is married to tiffany Trump. This event was captured by BBC Pidgin version as “Tiffany Trump husband: Donald trump daughter don marry Michael Boulos, her Nigerian-Lebanese bobo”
You can read further through this link – (https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cjl86g2p2x7o)
It is this kind of news that gives Nigerians the bragging power in the world which also helps in countering some negative news about the country. While this conversation was going on, and indeed still going on, Nigerians seemed to have lost the substance of the issues involved; and they are Nigerians, even the very educated ones still sees themselves from the ethnic group lens, rather than as a Nigerian. In other words, the project of Lord Lugard is failing, perhaps in Kemi Badenoch’s submissions, has failed., though Kashim Shetima does not agree. Just like his father, Kashim Shetima is privileged and represent the very northern aristocrat that Kemi Badenoch does not want to associate with, just like her father. These divergent views is generational irrespective of where the Nigerian lives. It is beyond global geography. It is cultural. It is about the identity and it is deep. This identity politics became more pronounced with the advent of social media where information is democratize and uncensored by a gatekeeper. It has helped in exposing and heightening the fault lines of Nigeria. It has now reached a global platform, thanks to the platforms of Kashim Shetima and Kemi Badenoch.
It is therefore wise for the elites in Nigeria to agree to revisit the issue of citizenship and the constitution again with a view to defining who a Nigerian is, and the rights and previledges of that Nigerian citizen regardless of his ethnic group, social class or religious affiliation. As earlier stated, Nigerians are brilliant and educated, and excel wherever they find themselves, and in different fields of endeavour, but while living in Nigeria, they are unable to mobilise their respective skills except they are from previledged backgrounds. Rather than lose the essence and benefit of this conversation in trading tantrums (what Nigerians call gbas gbos), the elites especially the political elites should cease the momentum and address the issues so that Nigeria can mobilise here human resources, home and abroad, including Kemi Badenoch and the Boulos for the benefits of Nigeria. I recommend the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan 2014 constitutional report as a starting point to address the project Lord Lugard initiated in 1914.
