“If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying – you need a translator; Kenyans spoke “some of the best English in the world”, boast Kenyan President William Ruto, while addressing Kenyans in Italy this week.

Earlier this month, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu faced a backlash from Kenyans online after stating that Nigerians were “better off than those in Kenya and other African countries” despite rising fuel prices at home.

Ruto’s remarks drew fierce condemnation from Nigerians and other Africans online who accused the Kenyan leader of demeaning a fellow African nation.”

English is a colonial language, not a measure of intelligence, capability, or national progress,” wrote Hopewell Chin’ono, a Zimbabwean journalist.

These differences reflect the influence of indigenous languages – Nigeria has more than 500 languages which shape its cadence and intonation, while Kenya’s Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic mix give rise to its own accents.

But in his address to the diaspora gathering, Ruto said Kenya’s education system produced strong English proficiency and that it was difficult to understand Nigerians when they spoke English.

“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, sparking laughter in the room.

“We have some of the best human capital anywhere in the world. We just need to sharpen it with more training,” Ruto added.

His remarks have led to widespread reactions on social media, with many users criticising the Kenyan leader for showcasing a “deep inferiority complex rooted in colonial conditioning”.

“Ruto is mocking the English of the country with a Nobel Prize for literature winner.The Nation of Achebe and Chimamanda,” former Nigerian senator Shehu Sani posted on X, referring to Wole Soyinka – the country’s only Nobel Prize winner – along with acclaimed authors Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Other social media users urged Ruto to focus on addressing pressing issues facing his citizens – such as the cost of living and unemployment – rather than engaging in what they described as distractions.

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Wednesday received former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in what officials described as part of ongoing high-level consultations on regional and continental issues.

The meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the State House, began at about 4 pm.

Sources familiar with the engagement indicated that the interaction aligns with a pattern of periodic consultations between both leaders, particularly on political developments in West Africa and Nigeria’s broader diplomatic and continental engagements..

Images from the meeting showed both leaders in a relaxed setting, engaged in conversation inside the President’s office.

Jonathan’s latest visit comes months after his last known appearance at the State House in November 2025, shortly after his evacuation from Guinea-Bissau amid a political crisis.

The former president had been leading a West African Elders Forum election observation mission when soldiers loyal to Brigadier-General Dinis Incanha reportedly staged a coup, detaining incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló ahead of the official announcement of the November 23 presidential election results.

Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Algeria, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, has died at the age of 50.

Lele was buried in Kano on Wednesday in accordance with Islamic rites.

His death was confirmed on Wednesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement issued in Abuja by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.

According to the ministry, Lele died in the early hours of April 19, 2026, in Ankara, Türkiye, following a prolonged illness.

The ministry described his death as a significant loss, noting that he was a seasoned diplomat who served Nigeria with dedication and professionalism.

Before his nomination as ambassador-designate to Algeria, Lele was the Director in charge of the Middle East and Gulf Division at the ministry.

Born in Gamawa, Bauchi State, in 1976, Lele studied Economics at Bayero University Kano. During his diplomatic career, he served in Nigeria’s missions in Berlin, Lomé and Riyadh.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dunoma Umar Ahmed, who received his remains at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, described him as a diligent and humble officer whose contributions would not be forgotten.