Ololade Adeyanju/
Kenyan President William Ruto has come under fire after remarks in which he appeared to mock the way Nigerians speak English, triggering widespread reactions across Africa and on social media.
Speaking to Kenyans living in Italy, Ruto said that Nigerian-accented English could be difficult to understand, adding that one might “need a translator” when listening to a Nigerian speak.
He contrasted this with what he described as the strength of Kenya’s education system, saying it produces some of the best English speakers in the world.
The comments, which drew laughter from his audience, quickly circulated online and provoked criticism from Nigerians and other Africans who accused the Kenyan leader of belittling a fellow country.
Among those who reacted was Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who noted that English, as a colonial language, should not be used as a measure of intelligence or national progress.
Critics also pointed to Nigeria’s global literary reputation, referencing figures such as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as evidence of the country’s strong command of the language.
Both Kenya and Nigeria use English as an official language, but each has developed distinct spoken forms influenced by local languages.
Nigeria, with over 500 indigenous languages, has a widely recognised variant known as Nigerian English, shaped by local expressions and pronunciation patterns.
The controversy comes amid a history of online rivalry between Nigerians and Kenyans, where debates over culture, economy and politics frequently play out on social media platforms.
Earlier in the month, President Bola Tinubu drew reactions from Kenyans after suggesting that Nigerians were better off than citizens of some other African countries, including Kenya.
While Ruto did not directly reference that comment, some observers have linked the timing of his remarks to the earlier exchange.
There has been no official clarification from the Kenyan government.
However, some Kenyan commentators have defended the president, arguing that his remarks were intended as humour and have been taken out of context.
Nigeria remains the largest English-speaking country in Africa, and its variant of English continues to gain global recognition, with locally rooted expressions increasingly appearing in international usage.
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