UK’s Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has appointed British-Nigerian, Kemi Badenoch, into her new cabinet as International Trade Secretary.
Bademoch had surprised many by reaching the last four in the leadership contest.
A former minister in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Equalities Minister, she did not endorse any of her rivals in the leadership race.
Badenoch, who has been outspoken on issues such as gender-neutral toilets which she opposes, stood on an “anti-woke” platform and argued for the state to be slimmed down.
The former software engineer worked in banking and later as a director of the Spectator magazine before being elected to the London Assembly.
She entered the Commons as MP for Saffron Walden in 2017, and lists her interests as including engineering and technology, social mobility and integration.
Badenoch, whose maiden name is Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke was born in Wimbledon, London, on 2 January, 1980 to Nigerian parents.
She is the daughter of Femi Adegoke and Feyi Adegoke who are of Nigerian origin.
Her father was a GP and her mother is a professor of physiology.
Badenoch’s childhood included living in Lagos, Nigeria and in the United States, where her mother lectured.
She has a brother named Fola and a sister called Lola.
She returned to the UK at the age of 16 to live with a friend of her mother’s owing to the deteriorating political and economic situation in Nigeria which had affected her family.
Although a British citizen and born in the UK, Badenoch stated that she was “to all intents and purposes, a first-generation immigrant” during her parliamentary maiden speech.
Meanwhile, other appointments made on Tuesday and approved by the Queen Elizabeth II, as contained in a press release by 10 Downing Street include:
The Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. She will also be Deputy Prime Minister
The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
The Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP as Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Wendy Morton MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip). She will attend Cabinet.
The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Defence
The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP as Lord Chancellor, and Secretary of State for Justice
The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and Minister for Equalities.
The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP as Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Commons.
Lord True CBE as Lord Privy Seal, and Leader of the House of Lords.
The Rt Hon Jake Berry MP as Minister without Portfolio.
The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP has been re-appointed as COP26 President.
The Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Rt Hon Simon Clarke MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Kemi Badenoch MP as Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade.
Chloe Smith MP as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
The Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP as Secretary of State for Education.
Ranil Jayawardena MP as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP as Secretary of State for Transport.
The Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The Rt Hon Alister Jack MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland.
The Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KBE QC MP has been re-appointed as Secretary of State for Wales.
Chris Philp MP as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He will attend Cabinet.
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