Kenya's President William Ruto has clarified his recent remarks about Nigeria's spoken English, asserting that he was misquoted and that Nigerians speak excellent English, just like Kenyans. The clarification came during an event attended by high-profile dignitaries from various African countries, including Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake.
Ruto's Clarification on Viral Comment
President Ruto explained that his initial comments were part of a private conversation that was never intended for public consumption. He stated that someone recorded and shared the conversation online, leading to misinterpretation. 'I was speaking to my fellow citizens somewhere. It was supposed to be a private conversation, but someone decided that it should be public,' Ruto said.
He further clarified that what he intended to convey was that Nigerians and Kenyans both speak very good English. 'They also misrepresented the facts. The facts are 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 don't speak excellent English, like the one we speak in Kenya, you may need a translator for you to understand the excellent English of Nigeria. That was the comparison before someone took it out of context,' President Ruto clarified.
Background of the Controversy
The controversy began when a viral clip showed President Ruto stating that Nigeria's spoken English required a translator to be comprehensible. This sparked reactions online, with many Nigerians viewing it as a dig at the country. The comment was seen as a response to Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu's earlier statement that Nigerians should be thankful they are better off than Kenyans despite economic hardship.
During the event, Ruto asked Minister Dele Alake to send his regards to Nigeria's president and the great people of the country. He also joked that he hopes there will be no consequences from his Nigerian in-laws, referring to his daughter June Ruto's marriage to a Nigerian, Dr. Alexander Ezenagu, in 2021. Ruto has previously joked about the trend of Kenyan women marrying Nigerian men, describing it as a brain drain.
President Ruto's clarification emphasizes the light-hearted nature of his original comment and aims to clear up any misunderstanding between the two nations.
