The viral face-off between a Nigerian and a Briton over English proficiency has taken a new turn.
Following yesterday’s buzzworthy post where a Nigerian boldly challenged a Brit to an English test on X (formerly Twitter), the man behind the tweet is now addressing the backlash. In a new post, he explains why the challenge wasn’t as outrageous as some perceived.
Using a Yoruba analogy, he pointed out that speaking a language doesn’t necessarily mean one understands its grammar or can write it correctly. “There are Yoruba children who speak fluently but can’t write the language,” he noted — drawing a parallel to many Britons who speak English daily but lack technical skills in grammar, comprehension, and writing.
He emphasized that true language proficiency encompasses speaking, writing, reading, and listening — areas where, he argued, many Nigerians, rigorously trained in English from primary school, often outperform their UK counterparts.
