Story perspectives

Ruto Calls Nigerians' English Poor, Faces Backlash

4/25/2026

Summary

Ruto Mocks Nigerians

President William Ruto told a crowd in Italy that Nigerians are difficult to understand, saying Kenyans have best English.
Critics called the comment a view that ties language to intelligence, with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono adding that English is a colonial language, not a measure of ability.
lawmaker Shehu Sani replied that Ruto mocked Nigeria’s English, citing Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and recalled Ruto’s 2025 “brain-drain” joke.

Summary

Ruto Sparks Tension

The Kenyan government has not issued an official statement responding to President William Ruto’s remarks about Nigerian-accented English.
Ruto delivered the remarks to Kenyans in Italy, which observers link to a retort against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
Some Kenyan social-media users defended Ruto, saying his comments were humorous and misread.
Analysts warn the episode could strain Kenya-Nigeria diplomatic relations unless addressed through formal channels.

Summary

Ruto Faces Backlash

BBC reported the controversy sparked a widespread online backlash across Nigeria and other African nations.
Critics used the episode to demand that President William Ruto prioritize Kenya’s soaring cost of living and address the country’s high unemployment rate.
Reuters photographer Remo Casilli captured the image accompanying the story.
The article, published on 24 April 2026, lists Dastan Shanay as the photo editor for the Reuters picture of President William Ruto.

History

Historical Context

The UNESCO General Conference in Paris adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity on 2 November 2001, urging respect for linguistic variety as a peace pillar. Kenya’s President William Ruto’s recent criticism of Nigerian-accented English revives the declaration’s call, a principle echoed in the AU Charter (2000) and the 2005 Convention, which now bind 188 UNESCO members.

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Ruto Mocks Nigerians

President William Ruto told a crowd in Italy that Nigerians are difficult to understand, saying Kenyans have best English.
Critics called the comment a view that ties language to intelligence, with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono adding that English is a colonial language, not a measure of ability.
lawmaker Shehu Sani replied that Ruto mocked Nigeria’s English, citing Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and recalled Ruto’s 2025 “brain-drain” joke.

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