William Ruto mocks Nigerian accent in Rome: what this slip reveals about rivalries in Africa

On April 21, 2026, in Rome, William Ruto sparked controversy by mocking the Nigerian accent, stating that Nigerian English is hard to understand. This remark echoes a statement by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who compared the economic situations of the two countries. Although Ruto did not explicitly mention Tinubu, his mockery appears to be a response to the economic comparison. The controversy highlights the linguistic and cultural rivalries between the two African nations.