Wednesday, July 15, 2026

I ‘rejected God’ for answering my stupid prayers: Kemi Badenoch

Mrs Badenoch said, “I would still define myself as a cultural Christian.”

• August 8, 2025
Kemi Badenoch (Credit: UK Guardian)
Kemi Badenoch (Credit: UK Guardian)

Leader of UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, said she lost her faith in God when she realised her stupid prayers were answered while God delayed answering the prayer of someone in captivity for over two decades.

Mrs Badenoch, in an interview with BBC on Thursday, said she ‘rejected God’ but remained a Christian after watching the story of Josef Fritzl, the Australian man who kept his daughter captive for 24 years in a dungeon underground in his house.

“I couldn’t stop reading this story. And I read her account, how she prayed every day to be rescued. And I thought, I was praying for all sorts of stupid things, and I was getting my prayers answered,” Mrs Badenoch said.

She stated, “I was praying to have good grades, my hair should grow longer, and I would pray for the bus to come on time so I wouldn’t miss something. It’s like, why were those prayers answered, and not this woman’s prayers? And it was like someone blew out a candle.”

The Tory leader added, “I rejected God, not Christianity. So, I would still define myself as a cultural Christian.”

Mrs Badenoch also recounted in the interview how she reported her classmate cheating in an exam but got no “praise” for it.

Forty-five-year-old Mrs Badenoch’s submission last week that she was no longer a Nigerian elicited from many Nigerians.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Adebo Ogundoyin

States

School Abduction: Oyo Assembly backs Gov Makinde’s call for international investigation 

The lawmaker cautioned the public and the Nigerian Senate against misinterpreting the purpose of the state governor’s call for an international investigation.

Minister of Foriegn Affairs Yusuf Tuggar

Politics

Tuggar group rejects Bauchi APC governorship candidate Mohammed Abubakar

He dismissed Mr Abubakar’s declaration as a governorship candidate, alleging that there were no governorship primaries in the state.

The Spanish team after the semi-final match

Hot news Home top

Oyarzabal, Porro score as Spain beat France to reach World Cup final 

Spain will face the winner of the second semi-final match between England and Argentina on Sunday. 

PenCom

Economy

PenCom cuts pension approvals to 48 hours, recovers N36 billion arrears

She said the 48-hour approval timeline had become a mandatory service standard binding on all PFAs.

Released Oyo hostages

Heading 5

Freed Oyo pupils, teachers reunite with families

The pupils and teachers reunited with their families on Tuesday.

Olatubosun Oluyede

NationWide

DHQ engages military veterans on welfare, national service

He said the welfare of retired personnel remained one of the top priorities of the DHQ under the current leadership.