TRENDING: ‘Our education, English accent 'better' than Nigeria’s'

Kenyan President William Ruto has triggered debate on social media after taking a swipe at Nigeria’s education system and English proficiency.

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In a viral video obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the 59-year-old made the comparison while highlighting his country’s human capital to Kenyans resident in Italy.

He maintained that his country’s education system produces strong English proficiency, while Nigerians have difficulty understanding English when they speak it.

Mr Ruto noted: “You know our education is good, our English is good. Yes, we speak some of the best English in the world. That’s true, if you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what…

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“You will need a translator even when (Nigerians) are speaking English. So, we have some of the best human capital anywhere in the world, and we need to sharpen it with more training.”

English

As former British colonies, the two countries use English as an official language, but each country has developed its own distinct spoken form with unique phonetic patterns.

Indigenous languages shape these variations; Nigeria, with over 500 languages, reflects this diversity in its rhythm and intonation, while Kenya’s blend of Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic languages also influences its own accents.

According to a 2020 study by Cambridge University, there is no “best” English accent; what matters most is clear and effective communication.

Nigerians react

Mr Ruto’s comment sparked renewed debate on social media about the quality of education and language standards in both countries.

While some Nigerians agreed with Mr Ruto’s assessment, others rejected it, arguing that Nigeria has produced a Nobel Prize-winning author as well as several renowned writers and educationists.

Human rights activist and former senator, Shehu Sani, also criticised Mr Ruto. “Ruto is mocking the English of the Country with a Nobel Prize for literature winner. The Nation of Achebe and Chimamanda,” he wrote on his X page.

Below are some of the comments.

Backstory

Mr Ruto’s remarks came days after Ghana’s President, John Mahama, revealed that he prays daily for Nigeria’s stability.

This newspaper reported that Mr Mahama linked his prayers to Nigeria’s crucial role in West Africa’s security and prosperity.

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According to the President, who spoke at the African Heritage Awards in Accra, Ghana, Nigeria’s development trajectory is vital not only to its own well-being but also to the broader region.

He added that Ghana and Nigeria are closely connected through history and migration, noting that events in Africa’s most populous nation inevitably have ripple effects across neighbouring countries.

“Of course, Ghana and Nigeria are twins of the same mother, except that we fight over jollof and football. Otherwise, you know that we are the same people. A lot of people in Ghana migrated from Nigeria,” he said.

“Nigeria is a keen security interest to us. If Nigeria does well, Ghana does well. I mean, when you have cousins, 250 million of them, you want them to do well, so that one million of them don’t come drifting towards a small country like Ghana,” he said.