Ruto Faces Backlash After Remarks on Nigerian English Spark Online Dispute

Mintesinot Niggusie

Kenyan President William Ruto has drawn widespread criticism on social media after suggesting that Nigerian-accented English is difficult to understand and would require a translator, remarks that have triggered debate across Africa over language, identity and post-colonial perceptions.

Speaking to Kenyans in Italy on Monday, Ruto said Kenyan English was among the strongest globally while contrasting it with Nigerian speech. “If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying — you need a translator,” he said, adding that Kenyans speak “some of the best English in the world.”

The comments quickly circulated online, prompting backlash from Nigerians and other Africans who accused the Kenyan leader of denigrating a fellow African country. Critics argued that English proficiency should not be used as a benchmark for intelligence or national standing.

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono said English should not be viewed through hierarchical cultural lenses, writing that it is “a colonial language, not a measure of intelligence, capability, or national progress.”

Both Kenya and Nigeria are former British colonies where English remains an official language, though spoken forms differ significantly due to local linguistic influences.

Nigeria, which has more than 500 languages, has developed widely recognised varieties of English shaped by indigenous phonetics and usage patterns. Kenya’s linguistic landscape is similarly diverse, with Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic languages influencing local English pronunciation and rhythm.

During his address, Ruto said Kenya’s education system had produced strong English proficiency, while reiterating that communication differences could create misunderstandings. “Our education is good. Our English is good,” he said. “We speak some of the best English in the world.”

Former Nigerian senator Shehu Sani referenced prominent Nigerian literary figures, including Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and writers Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, in rejecting the criticism implied in Ruto’s comments.

Nigeria remains Africa’s largest English-speaking country, with its localised form of the language — often referred to as Nigerian English — increasingly recognised globally and influencing usage in international dictionaries and diaspora communities.