KlintonCod Backs Kemi Badenoch, Says UK Prison Better than Nigerian Boarding Schools
UK-based Nigerian comedian KlintonCod has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding British Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch’s comments about her boarding school experience in Nigeria, expressing support for her portrayal of the school as “like a prison.”
Badenoch, who recently stated that she no longer identifies as Nigerian, sparked backlash after describing her time at a Sagamu boarding school as traumatic. Her remarks, made during a podcast interview, were criticised by many Nigerians who felt she exaggerated and disparaged her heritage.
In a social media post, KlintonCod defended Badenoch’s account, describing similar experiences from his own time in a Nigerian boys-only boarding school. “It was like a prison too with huge walls around us properly secured. The difference between us and prisoners was the fact that we had mid-term breaks and holidays. Every other thing was the same!” he said.
The comedian further argued that some UK prisons he had visited for work offered better conditions than his school. “I have never been to a Nigerian prison but… those guys \[in UK prisons] had a far better quality of life than my life in boarding school,” he added.
He recounted experiences involving violence, including the use of machetes and axes during student clashes, and a toxic seniority culture in which juniors were routinely abused. “Somebody in SS3 is using a cutlass to flog you in SS1 because he is your senior,” he said, also alleging that food and supplies sent from home were often seized by senior students.
Addressing the backlash against Badenoch, KlintonCod claimed her detractors are reacting to her “blunt honesty.” He said, “I am yet to find one solid & justifiable reason why Nigerians dislike Kemi Badenoch. Only reason seen so far is she is TOO honest.”
He concluded his remarks with a light-hearted suggestion that Badenoch should be paired as a running mate with Nigerian politician Peter Obi. “The country go sweet dieeeee,” he wrote.
Badenoch, who was born in the UK and spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, revealed in the interview that she had not renewed her Nigerian passport since the early 2000s and feels more connected to Britain. She said her parents decided to send her back to the UK at age 16 after concluding there was “no future” for her in Nigeria.
