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Kenyan President William Ruto has clarified his recent comments on Nigerian English, saying they were taken out of context and did not reflect any slight against Nigerians.
Speaking at the Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi, the Kenyan leader said the remarks were made in what was intended to be a private conversation before they found their way into the public space.
“Please pass my regards, Minister, to President Tinubu, my friend, and to the great people of Nigeria, who are my in-laws, and do so in good English,” Ruto said.
He explained that his comments were aimed at highlighting the strong command of English across African countries, not ridiculing Nigeria.
“The facts are that I was talking about how we in Africa speak very good English, all of us,” he said.
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Ruto added that Nigeria was, in fact, central to the point he was making about linguistic excellence on the continent.
“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.”
He said the backlash stemmed from a distorted interpretation of his words.
“But somebody decided to take it out of context. And my in-laws, I hope there will be no consequences for whatever was done,” he added.
The remarks came after a viral clip sparked debate online, with many interpreting his earlier comments as a dig at Nigerians’ accent and speech.
