Kenyan President William Ruto has taken a lighthearted swipe at Nigerians’ spoken English, joking that it can be difficult to understand. Speaking to Kenyans in the diaspora during an event in Italy, Ruto defended his country’s education system and English proficiency, drawing laughter from the audience as he compared it……
Kenyan President William Ruto has taken a lighthearted swipe at Nigerians’ spoken English, joking that it can be difficult to understand.
Speaking to Kenyans in the diaspora during an event in Italy, Ruto defended his country’s education system and English proficiency, drawing laughter from the audience as he compared it with Nigeria.
“Our 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’t know what they are saying. You need a translator even when they are speaking English,” he said.
“We have some of the best human capital anywhere in the world. We just need to sharpen it with more training,” Ruto added.
READ ALSO: Like Nigeria, Kenya Bans Money Bouquets Ahead of Valentine’s Day
The comments quickly gained traction online, with critics accusing the Kenyan leader of reinforcing colonial-era notions about language and intelligence.
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono argued that English proficiency should not be used as a benchmark for capability.
“English is a colonial language, not a measure of intelligence, capability, or national progress,” he wrote.
In Nigeria, former lawmaker Shehu Sani also pushed back, referencing the country’s global literary standing.
“Ruto is mocking the English of the country with a Nobel Prize for literature winner. The Nation of Achebe and Chimamanda,” he posted, alluding to Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and renowned authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Both Nigeria and Kenya, former British colonies, share English as an official language but have evolved distinct accents shaped by indigenous languages and cultural influences.
These differences reflect the influence of indigenous languages, Nigeria has more than 500 languages which shape its cadence and intonation, while Kenya’s Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic mix give rise to its own accents.
Kenya’s President dig at Nigeria’s spoken English can be considered a light-hearted banter, especially considering its past favourable comments about the country.
In 2025, Ruto joked about growing ties between both countries, saying “their daughters all prefer Nigerian men”, which he described as causing a “brain drain in Kenya.”
