Former Nigerian lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has criticized Kenyan President, William Ruto for comparing Kenya’s English proficiency to Nigeria’s, after Ruto remarked that “Kenya’s English is good compared to Nigeria, where you may need a translator.”
Responding via his X (formerly Twitter) account, Sani wrote: “Ruto is mocking the English of a country that has produced a Nobel Prize in Literature laureate the nation of Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.”
Ruto’s comments sparked reactions during his speech at the Business Insider Africa Summit, coming shortly after remarks by Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, who had compared Nigeria’s economic situation with that of other African countries, including Kenya.
Tinubu had said: “The fuel price is biting hard, but look around—let us thank God together that you are better off. Listen to what people in Kenya and other African countries are going through.”
In response, Ruto defended Kenya’s education system and communication standards, stating: “We speak some of the best English in the world. Our education system and English proficiency are strong compared to Nigeria, where you might need a translator.”