Nigeria, Aug. 1 -- Kemi Badenoch, now leader of the Conservative Party and the UK's opposition leader, embodies a modern British story. Born in London to Nigerian parents, educated and politically forged in Britain, with formative experiences that include time spent in Nigeria, her dual heritage is not a weakness but a profound asset. In a diverse, globally connected Britain, the most compelling leaders are those confident enough to carry every part of who they are into public life.

Yet recent remarks and signals from Badenoch have left many Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora feeling that she treats her Nigerian roots as a liability to be managed rather than a strength to be embraced. But the lesson here is simple and timeless. Y...