Nairobi, KENYA — Kenyan President William Ruto has addressed the diplomatic friction caused by his recent remarks concerning the Nigerian accent, stating that his words were “misinterpreted and taken out of context.”
Speaking at the Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi on Tuesday, Ruto sought to calm the backlash from Nigeria, explaining that the comments originated from a private conversation rather than an official policy stance.
The controversy began several days ago when Ruto, addressing the Kenyan diaspora in Italy, praised his nation’s education system and linguistic proficiency. During that event, he remarked that while Kenyans speak some of the best English in the world, listening to a Nigerian often requires a “translator” even when they are speaking English.
Okay News reports that the comment quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from Nigerians who viewed it as a slight against their cultural identity and linguistic diversity.
President Ruto emphasized that his intention was to highlight Kenya’s competitive advantage in the global labor market rather than disparage a fellow African nation. He noted that Kenyan professionals are highly sought after due to the clarity of their speech and the strength of their academic training. Despite the clarification, the incident has sparked a broader debate on social media regarding linguistic elitism and the various “Englishes” spoken across the continent.
