Ruto Clarifies Remarks on Nigerian English

Kenyan President William Ruto clarified controversial remarks about Nigerian English proficiency on Tuesday at the Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi, telling attendees that his comments had been misrepresented and taken out of context from a private conversation.

The clarification came days after Ruto addressed Kenyans living in Italy on April 23, where he praised Kenya's education system and English skills. "Our education is good. Our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world. If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don't know what they are saying. You need a translator even when they are speaking English," he said at the time. The video of those remarks spread widely on social media, prompting criticism from Nigerians who highlighted their country's literary achievements, including Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Speaking to an audience that included Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, Ruto reframed his original point as praise for English proficiency across Africa. "I was captured speaking to my fellow citizens somewhere. It was supposed to be a private...