Inspired
Meet the Six Politicians of Nigerian Descent Elected to the UK Parliament
Credit: Florence Eshalomi/Instagram
The United Kingdom recently had its general elections to elect a new prime minister president and members of Parliament to the House of Commons and the lower house of the Parliament. In a landslide, the opposition party led by Keir Starmer unseated the Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak of the Conservative Party, which had dominated British politics for fourteen years.
Six British politicians of Nigerian descent who contested for seats in the parliament won their elections, with some newly elected and the rest defending their seats for another tenure. Out of these six, five of them belong to the Labour Party and, one, the Conservative Party.
The elected MPs will serve their constituencies in the House of Commons for up to five years. Their journey begins on July 17th, 2024, with the State Opening of Parliament. During this ceremony, the King will deliver a speech outlining the government’s agenda for the upcoming session.
See the elected politicians of Nigerian descent below:
Chi Onwurah
Chi was born to a Nigerian father in 1965 in Wallsend and was taken back to Nigeria to live in Awka with her family when she was a baby. Two years later after the Biafran war broke out, she returned to Newcastle. She grew up on Hillsview Avenue in Kenton and attended Kenton School before studying electrical engineering in London.
Chi was re-elected as the Labour MP for Newcastle Central and West, with 11,060 votes out of 18,875.
In her speech upon being elected, she emphasised unity and collaboration, pledging to represent all constituents regardless of their voting choices, saying “I want to reach out my hand, and the hand of the Labour Party to all the people of Newcastle, no matter how you voted today. Our future as a community, as a nation, will be so much brighter together, in a spirit of consideration for each other. My promise to you is to listen to you, to stand up for you, for our community, our values, and our future. Now is the time to come together for a better Newcastle. Our future is waiting for us. We can build it together.”
Thank you to the people of #NewcastleCentralWest for electing me to be your voice in Parliament. It is the honour of my life to represent our wonderful city and I will not let you down. pic.twitter.com/SjLSLKIZKX
— Chi Onwurah 💙 (@ChiOnwurah) July 5, 2024
Bayo Alaba
Bayo is a Labour councillor with roots in the Forest Gate area of London and Nigeria. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in manufacturing and business from Coventry University in 1995 and later studied social politics at the London School of Economics in 2011.
A former parachute regiment soldier, school governor, and entrepreneur, Bayo became the first Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford. He expressed his gratitude to voters and volunteers, highlighting the collaborative effort behind his success.
Kemi Badenoch
Kemi is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Business and Trade from 2023 to 2024, President of the Board of Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities from 2022 to 2024.
The Conservative Party MP for North West Essex (formally Saffron Walden) retained her seat with 19,360 votes. She commended her campaign team and vowed to represent the best interests of all constituents, continuing her role as a scrutinising legislator.
Thank you North West Essex!
It is an honour and a privilege to have been re-elected to be your Member of Parliament and I am grateful that you have put your trust in me to represent you once again.
To all those who supported my campaign, THANK YOU. I couldn’t have done it… pic.twitter.com/mJqrCj6GsC
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) July 8, 2024
Taiwo Owatemi
Born in 1992, Taiwo has been a Labour Party Member of Parliament for Coventry North West since 2019 and served as the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities from September 2021 to September 2022.
Defending her Coventry North West seat with a landslide victory (with 19,696 votes), Taiwo expressed deep gratitude to voters, “Words cannot express my gratitude to the people of Coventry North West. Your trust in me, in our shared vision, for a brighter future, is truly humbling.”
A pharmacist by profession, she pledged to continue her tireless work amplifying the voices of her constituents.
Words cannot express my gratitude to the people of Coventry North West. Your trust in me, in our shared vision, for a brighter future, is truly humbling.
It is the honour of my life to represent you and I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure your voices are represented. pic.twitter.com/dQsGAof8mI
— Taiwo Owatemi (@TaiwoOwatemi) July 5, 2024
Florence Dauta Eshalomi
Florence graduated with a BA Hons in Political and International Studies with Law from Middlesex University and started her working life as a 16-year-old at Sainsbury’s supermarket. She has worked in a variety of campaigning and public affairs roles including in local government as a policy officer, and as a regional organiser for the Labour Party during the 2005 general election.
A Member of the Labour and Co-operative parties, Florence was a Member of the London Assembly (AM) for Lambeth and Southwark from 2016 to 2021. Transitioning from the abolished Vauxhall seat, Florence secured victory in the newly created Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency
She praised voters for their trust and enthusiasm for working together. “Thank you to residents across Vauxhall and Camberwell Green for putting your trust in me. I am honoured to be re-elected for the new constituency and I look forward to working alongside all of you.” Florence says
Thank you to residents across Vauxhall and Camberwell Green for putting your trust me in me. 🌹🌹🗳️🗳️
I am honoured to be re-elected for the new constituency and I look forward to working alongside all of you. pic.twitter.com/lRe661IXBP
— Florence Eshalomi MP (@FloEshalomi) July 5, 2024
Kate Osamor
Kate is a British Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Edmonton from 2015 until the seat’s abolition in 2024. She was Shadow Secretary of State for International Development from 2016 to 2018. She is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group parliamentary caucus.
Watch her swearing in ceremony below:
Today, I was officially sworn in once again, this time as the MP for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill. It’s always a humbling experience, and I remain as committed as ever to serving our community. Thank you for your continued trust and support. pic.twitter.com/NxW25KWQIA
— Kate Osamor MP (@KateOsamor) July 9, 2024
