Kenyan President William Ruto has faced a social media backlash after publicly suggesting that Nigerian-accented English was incomprehensible and required a translator.<\/p>\n
Addressing Kenyans living in Italy on Monday, Ruto said: \u201cIf you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don\u2019t know what they are saying \u2013 you need a translator,\u201d while boasting that Kenyans spoke \u201csome of the best English in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n
His remarks drew fierce condemnation from Nigerians and other Africans online who accused the Kenyan leader of demeaning a fellow African nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnglish is a colonial language, not a measure of intelligence, capability, or national progress,\u201d wrote Hopewell Chin\u2019ono, a Zimbabwean journalist.<\/p>\n
As former British colonies, both Kenya and Nigeria share English as an official language, but each country has developed distinct spoken varieties with different phonetic structures.<\/p>\n
These differences reflect the influence of indigenous languages \u2013 Nigeria has more than 500 languages which shape its cadence and intonation, while Kenya\u2019s Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic mix give rise to its own accents.<\/p>\n
But in his address to the diaspora gathering, Ruto said Kenya\u2019s education system produced strong English proficiency and that it was difficult to understand Nigerians when they spoke English.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur education is good. Our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world. If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don\u2019t know what they are saying. You need a translator even when they are speaking English,\u201d he said, sparking laughter in the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have some of the best human capital anywhere in the world. We just need to sharpen it with more training,\u201d Ruto added.<\/p>\n
His remarks have led to widespread reactions on social media, with many users criticising the Kenyan leader for showcasing a \u201cdeep inferiority complex rooted in colonial conditioning\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cRuto is mocking the English of the country with a Nobel Prize for literature winner.The Nation of Achebe and Chimamanda,\u201d former Nigerian senator Shehu Sani posted on X, referring to Wole Soyinka \u2013 the country\u2019s only Nobel Prize winner \u2013 along with acclaimed authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.<\/p>\n
Other social media users urged Ruto to focus on addressing pressing issues facing his citizens \u2013 such as the cost of living and unemployment \u2013 rather than engaging in what they described as distractions.<\/p>\n
Online barbs between Kenya and Nigeria are a frequent occurrence, often marked by intense, humorous and sometimes volatile cyber wars on platforms like X.<\/p>\n
These exchanges typically revolve around economic comparisons, pop culture and sport and, more recently, political remarks.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu faced a backlash from Kenyans online after stating that Nigerians were \u201cbetter off than those in Kenya and other African countries\u201d despite rising fuel prices at home.<\/p>\n
While Ruto did not make a direct reference to any specific comment, some online interpretations suggested his remarks may be in response to Tinubu\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n
There has been no official response from Ruto\u2019s government, but some Kenyans have defended him online, arguing that critics have misunderstood the intent of his remarks and missed the humour.<\/p>\n
Nigeria has more English speakers than any other country in Africa. Over time, the language has evolved locally into what is often described as \u201cNigerian English\u201d \u2013 a distinct and widely recognised variety shaped by the country\u2019s history, cultures and everyday usage.<\/p>\n