It Felt Like Prison!” – UK Minister Kemi Badenoch Opens Up On Harsh Schooling In Nigeria

Kemi Badenoch, a prominent figure in the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, has opened up about her time at Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Sagamu, Ogun State, describing her secondary school experience in Nigeria as extremely challenging.

In a video interview circulating on social media, Badenoch likened her time at the federal boarding school to being in prison, recalling difficult conditions such as cutting grass with a machete and washing toilets without running water.

“I went to a federal government girls’ school in Sagamu, and it was like being in prison,” she said. “We had to fetch buckets of water and use machetes to cut grass because no one else would do it.”

Badenoch explained that FGGC Sagamu followed a federal system where top-performing students were distributed across schools nationwide — a system she described as “more socialism,” aimed at balancing educational opportunities.

“It was the first time I had ever been away from home, and I was placed in a dormitory with around 150 girls — 20 to 30 per room,” she added. “It was like Lord of the Flies — the students were basically in control.”

She reflected on the tough realities of the system, where young students were expected to maintain the school environment themselves.

“We had to clean the toilets with no running water… I won’t even begin to describe that part,” she said.