By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D
The President of the East African country of Kenya, William Ruto, has taken a sharp sneer at the quality of English spoken by Nigerians. Speaking during a three-day state visit to Italy, Ruto claimed that Kenyans speak better and more polished English than Nigerians. He praised his country’s education and spoken English. According to President Ruto, “Our education is good. Our English is good. Yes. We speak some of the best English in the World,” he said.
Drawing a sharp comparison to drive home his point during a pitch, as he tried to present his country as a viable investment destination, President Ruto said that, compared to Nigeria, Kenya is ahead in the use of the English language. “If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what… You don’t know. You need a translator. Even when they are speaking English,” President Ruto said.
The President also went on to make a case for his country, affirming that Kenya has quality human capital. “We have some of the best human capital in the world, and we just need to sharpen it with more training,” Ruto concluded.
However, it is unclear why Ruto referenced English-speaking during an outing in Italy, a country where English is not considered a major language.
As for the President’s claim, it is debatable. Nigerian English is ranked among the top three in Africa. Nigeria has a unique variant of spoken English, same as Kenya. While Nigerians are considered to speak a heavier variant of British English, Kenyans are considered to speak a lighter variation.
