Kenyan President William Ruto has addressed the controversy surrounding his recent comments about Nigerians' command of the English language, stating that his remarks were misunderstood and taken out of context.
Context of the Remarks
While speaking at a public function in Italy last week, President Ruto praised Kenya's education standards, making a comparison that included a critique of English proficiency in Nigeria. He said, "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."
These comments sparked widespread criticism from Nigerians on social media, who found them distasteful and offensive.
Clarification and Apology
Speaking on Tuesday, April 28, at a mining conference in Nairobi, President Ruto pushed back on the narrative, explaining that his words were taken out of context. He said, "Please pass my regards to President Tinubu, my friend, and to the great people of Nigeria, my in-laws. You know, I was speaking to my fellow citizens somewhere, and it was supposed to be a private conversation, but somebody decided that it should be made public. It was also misrepresented."
He further clarified, "The fact is that I was talking about how we in Africa speak very good English, all of us. In fact, in some countries like Nigeria, if you do not speak excellent English like the one we speak in Kenya, you may need a translator to understand the excellent English of Nigeria. So that was the comparison, but somebody decided to take it out of context."
Ruto's remarks have been seen as an attempt to mend relations and clarify his stance on the matter.
