Kenyan President Ruto Sparks Outrage by Mocking Nigerian English

President William Ruto told a Kenyan diaspora gathering in Italy that Nigerian-accented English is difficult to understand and joked that Nigerians need a translator even when speaking English. He contrasted this with Kenya’s “some of the best English in the world,” drawing laughter in the room. Nigerian and African netizens swiftly condemned the remarks as demeaning and rooted in colonial bias. Critics pointed to Nigeria’s rich linguistic diversity and celebrated authors like Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as proof of its strong English tradition. Observers noted this feud follows recent online barbs between Kenya and Nigeria over fuel prices and political statements. While some Kenyans defended Ruto’s comment as humour, many others urged him to focus on pressing domestic challenges instead of language jabs.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.