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Letter from Rwanda: Speaking in Diverse Tongues

Published

4 years ago

November 20, 2021

Eric

By Dolapo Aina

Splendid salutations to you the reader. So, Kinyarwanda, variations of Swahili from Kenya or Congo (undiluted Tanzanian Swahili is the purest and unadulterated), Luganda (Uganda’s most widely spoken language), Lingala (Congo’s most widely spoken language), English, French, Sudanese Arabic (the purest form of Arabic on the African Continent), Middle East Arabic, Spanish, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Persian (Iran), Hindi (India), Pashto (Afghanistan’s language), some West African languages and more are languages I get to hear people converse in, in Kigali.

Alas, as I reeled out the languages, some of the readers must have laboured under a misapprehension to assume that I have morphed into a multi-lingual strict high school no nonsense bespectacled headmistress or overly strict bowtie and waistcoat wearing bespectacled principal. But, far from it. The aforementioned languages are some of the languages you are bound to hear (if you are attentive and conversant with global languages) people speak in certain public and private places in Kigali. This is a different cornucopia of the unique characteristics of Kigali.

If you are a bi-lingual non-Rwandan in Kigali and the only languages you speak are your mother tongue and English, you end up trying to initially decipher what is being said when Kinyarwanda speakers, French speakers, Swahili speakers and other speakers are speaking, then, after a while, after your ears have attuned to the languages, you begin to pick up few words, make use of some words and after a while, you begin to understand to a limited extent what is being said on the radio, TV, markets, bars, restaurants et al.
As a city where Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili can be heard and spoken interchangeably a lot of times by educated Rwandans who most probably lived outside Rwanda (in Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Canada, Belgium just to name some specific countries) before returning home, or had their initial and early education in the French syllabus before English was adopted; or those who attend private schools or those who speak Kinyarwanda and Swahili, and just get by in English and French; as a bi-lingual who only speaks English, you realise you are processing three other languages as opposed to the single language if you were in another capital city of a country where several languages are not readily spoken by the citizenry.
An interesting feature is to realise that most people (Rwandans or even Congolese) who have lived in Congo can converse comfortably in English if they have to; same goes for people (Rwandans or Burundians) who have lived in Burundi. And this is aside that they speak fluent French.

Another interesting feature is that anyone who has lived for a long time in Uganda, tends to not only speak English and Luganda but at least four other Ugandan languages. And there are those who would inform you they can speak up to ten Ugandan languages. It should not come as a shock to you if you are invited (invitations for family events are unique in the sense that if you are not invited; you don’t turn up like an August visitor) for a Rwandan family gathering and family members who live in other East African countries turn up for the gathering and everyone is comfortably speaking Kinyarwanda, Luganda, Lingala, French, Swahili and English interchangeably (let me not include those who can speak German, Dutch or Flemish with a sprinkling of Spanish). Like a banquet of brochette, a display of an assortment of diverse languages (choose and pick yours); a United Nations translators department of sorts. And if you are not even bi-lingual and find yourself in such gatherings, dear brethren, fret not but console yourself with gastronomic victory as you deep dive into the delicious edibles on display and devour what rightly is yours.

On a serious note, and thinking long term, a country where the exposed and highly educated are multilingual, the quasi-literates are at least bi-lingual and the uneducated (who might not be able to speak French or English) can at least get by in Swahili, Luganda or Lingala; the country would be the darling of regional, continental and global institutions in the not-too-distant future. But I digress.

Back to an interesting recurrence, which is to find or meet non-Rwandans who speak passable or fluent Kinyarwanda and sometimes one is left befuddled as to how a non-Rwandan has become conversant and fluent in a language that can be quite tricky to learn (if you don’t have a flair for picking up languages.) But those non-Rwandans who really speak the language have one dominant currency, they lived outside Kigali for a while or a long time or still live outside Kigali.

In the early months of 2021, I met an American doctor who had been a missionary in Rwanda in the late 80s and early 90s and he was stationed outside Kigali. He still returns to Rwanda to execute some project. Not only is his Kinyarwanda good; it is fluent. I

Interestingly, when I met him, his French had a French accent and not an American accent.

Another example is a story I heard of a mechanic who called an acquaintance of mine, and spoke flawless Kinyarwanda. When they met, my acquaintance asked for the person who called him since he had not seen him yet. The man in front of him spoke to him in Kinyarwanda saying “I am who you want to meet. I called you.” My acquaintance narrated the story with shock still visible on the narrator’s face. Questions ranging from how long have you lived in Rwanda surfaced and the Caucasian man could not remember but he had been in Rwanda in the 80s and lived outside Kigali.

Same characteristic of West Africans who live outside Kigali as they tend to speak Kinyarwanda with more ease and fluency than those who reside in Kigali. This is a normal feature in any country as it is easier and faster to learn a language when one is in the midst of those whose first language is the mother tongue and not necessarily the lingua franca.

So, Brethren, at this juncture, I have come to convince and not confuse and bamboozle you with grandiloquent words that it should not come as a surprise to you when you visit Rwanda and see or meet non-Rwandans who reside outside Kigali, converse in fluent Kinyarwanda.

Like prophets in the Biblical days of yore who lived up in the mountains, they might be living upcountry (up north or up south) with the learned skill and acquired gift of speaking in diverse tongues. Selah.

Dolapo Aina writes from Kigali, Rwanda

Featured

Delta Govt Confirms Death of Senator Nwaoboshi at 68

Published

4 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi, the former lawmaker who represented Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has passed away. He was 68.

Reports said that Nwaoboshi died on Friday in Abuja following a brief illness.

His demise was confirmed in a condolence statement issued by the Delta State governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

Expressing sorrow, the governor described Nwaoboshi’s passing as a monumental loss to Delta State, the Anioma nation, and the Nigerian federation.

In the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, Governor Oborevwori hailed the late Senator as a “fearless advocate” of the Anioma cause whose contributions to nation-building remain indelible.

The governor recalled Nwaoboshi’s impactful tenure in the Red Chamber, particularly his role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs.

He noted that Nwaoboshi’s consistent advocacy for the development of the oil-rich region distinguished him as a passionate and committed leader.

“On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I mourn the passing of my dear friend, Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi,” the governor said.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, the people of Anioma nation, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and all those whose lives he touched. I pray that Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest.”

Before his elevation to the Senate in 2015, he served meritoriously as a two-term Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, where he was instrumental in consolidating the party’s grip on the State.

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Ribadu’s Office Denies Arming Miyetti Allah in Kwara

Published

23 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Eric

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the office of the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has refuted claims that it armed members of the Miyetti Allah group for counter-terrorism operations in Kwara State.

The Head of Strategic Communication at NCTC, Mr. Michael Abu, issued the rebuttal on Wednesday in Abuja.

Abu described the reports circulated by some online platforms as false and misleading, saying they misrepresented ongoing security operations in forested areas of the state.

He said that in line with the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022, it continued to coordinate and support law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies in countering all forms of terrorism across the country.

NCTC spokesman explained that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts guided by the National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST), involved the deployment of hybrid forces comprising regular security personnel and trained auxiliaries such as hunters and vigilante elements, particularly in difficult terrains.

According to him, the hybrid approach, which was previously deployed with the Civilian Joint Task Force in the North-East, is currently being applied in parts of the North-West and North-Central, including Kwara State, and has recorded several successes against banditry and other criminal activities.

He stressed that the Federal government was not conducting kinetic operations with any socio-cultural group, adding that claims that the Office of the National Security Adviser provided arms to such organisations are unfounded and should be disregarded.

According to him, all auxiliary personnel involved in hybrid operations were recruited directly by authorised security and intelligence agencies after due diligence, and that all operations were conducted strictly in line with the law and established standard operating procedures.

He urged the media to exercise responsibility by protecting sensitive security information and seeking clarification through designated official spokespersons, while advising the public to ignore unverified reports capable of undermining ongoing operations.

He reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement to deepen public understanding of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.

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Respite As Court Stops Police, IGP from Enforcing Tinted Glass Permit Nationwide

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Eric

A Delta State Court sitting in Orerokpe has restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Force from resuming the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.

Justice Joe Egwu, while ruling on a motion ex-parte in a suit marked HOR/FHR/M/31/2025 filed by Isreal Joe against the IGP and two others, through his counsel, Mr. Kunle Edun (SAN), who led other lawyers, restrained, stopped and barred the respondents from resuming the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.

The order was sequel to the announcement by the Nigeria Police of its decision to resume the tinted glass permit enforcement on January 2, 2026.

Aside from the IGP, the court also restrained the Nigeria Police Force and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, from resuming the enforcement of the tinted glass permit policy nationwide.

Justice Egwu also barred the police from harassing, arresting, detaining or extorting citizens and motorists on account of the said policy, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The case has also reignited a dispute between the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). The NBA has maintained that the matter remains before the courts and warned that enforcement could constitute contempt.

The association said a suit challenging the constitutionality of the policy had been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, and that a judgment had been reserved following the conclusion of hearings.

The NBA further cited a Federal High Court order in Warri directing parties to maintain the status quo pending an interlocutory injunction. The association accused the police of disregarding the rule of law and urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene. “Any contrary executive action amounts to overreaching the Court and undermines the rule of law,” NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) said.

The police, through Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, insisted that no court order barred enforcement and defended its planned resumption on grounds of public security. Hundeyin noted a rise in crimes facilitated by vehicles with unauthorised tinted glass, citing incidents ranging from armed robbery to kidnapping.

“The Inspector-General of Police, out of respect and understanding, temporarily suspended enforcement to give Nigerians additional time to regularise their tinted glass permits.

That decision was not based on any court order but was a discretionary move to accommodate public concerns,” he said.

The announcement prompted warnings from the NBA that enforcement could trigger committal proceedings against the IGP and the Force spokesperson. The police, however, maintained that enforcement continues until directed otherwise by a court, highlighting recent incidents in which occupants of vehicles with tinted glass allegedly attacked officers.

The ruling by the Delta State High Court now legally bars the police from implementing the tinted glass permit policy nationwide while litigation on the policy’s constitutionality continues.