President William Ruto has sparked widespread outrage after telling an audience in Italy that Nigerians speaking English are difficult to understand and require a translator.
Addressing Kenyans living in Italy on Monday, Ruto boasted that Kenya’s education system produces strong English proficiency, claiming Kenyans speak “some of the best English in the world.”
“If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying – you need a translator even when they are speaking English,” Ruto said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
The remarks have triggered fierce condemnation across social media, with critics accusing the Kenyan leader of demeaning a fellow African nation.
‘Deep inferiority complex’
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono responded sharply: “English is a colonial language, not a measure of intelligence, capability, or national progress.”
Former Nigerian senator Shehu Sani highlighted the irony of Ruto’s comments, noting that Nigeria has produced a Nobel Prize winner for literature – Wole Soyinka – along with acclaimed authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
“Ruto is mocking the English of the country with a Nobel Prize for literature winner,” Sani posted on X.
Colonial linguistic legacy
Both Kenya and Nigeria, former British colonies, share English as an official language. However, each country has developed distinct spoken varieties shaped by indigenous languages.
Nigeria’s more than 500 languages influence its unique cadence and intonation, while Kenya’s mix of Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic languages produces its own distinctive accent.
Online rivalries
The exchange adds to a history of online barbs between Kenyans and Nigerians on social media platforms, often revolving around economic comparisons, pop culture and sport.
Earlier this month, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu faced backlash from Kenyans online after stating that Nigerians were “better off than those in Kenya and other African countries” despite rising fuel prices at home.
Some observers have interpreted Ruto’s latest comments as a response to Tinubu’s remarks, though the Kenyan president made no direct reference.
Defenders emerge
Some Kenyans have defended Ruto online, arguing that critics misunderstood the humorous intent of his remarks.
There has been no official response from Ruto’s government to the growing controversy, while other social media users have urged the president to focus on pressing domestic issues, including the cost of living and unemployment.
