Kenyan President William Ruto is facing social media backlash after his recent joke suggesting that foreigners would require a translator to understand Nigerian English.
President Ruto while addressing Italy-based Kenyans earlier this week joked that Kenyans spoke some of the best English in the world. According to him; “if you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying – you need a translator.”
However, his remark has drawn significant condemnation from Nigerian and other Africans accusing the Kenyan President of demeaning Nigeria.
While both countries speak English as their official language, they each have distinct spoken varieties with different phonetic structures.
Reacting to the statement, former Nigerian Senator Shehu Sani stated that;
Ruto is mocking the English of the Country with a Nobel Prize for literature winner. The Nation of Achebe and Chimamanda.
Tolu Ogunlesi added that;
Folks need to lighten up. There’s plenty of room for a bit of friendly needling within the AU. ALSO, as a policy, we do not invade countries where we have presidential in-laws.
PS. William Ruto and Donald Trump both have Nigerian sons-in-law. Facts only. Does the BBC know this?
Interestingly, President Ruto’s statement comes a few weeks after Nigerian President Bola Tinubu alleged that Nigerians were living better than Kenyans. Following this, social media users believe that both leaders may be using their people as talking points for personal issues.
“Tinubu told Nigerians they were “better off than Kenya.” Ruto responded by mocking Nigerian English. Two presidents using their citizens as props in a personal argument,” one X user commented.
