Femi Kuti Says Tinubu Is Not Nigeria’s Problem, Reveals Real Threat…
By Emmanuel Daniji
Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti has argued that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not the biggest problem facing Nigeria, pointing instead to what he described as deep-rooted institutional corruption across the country.
Kuti made the remarks while speaking on a recent episode of the Good News Naija podcast, where he questioned the strength and integrity of Nigeria’s institutions, particularly the judiciary.
According to the legendary musician, Nigeria’s problems run deeper than any individual occupying the presidential seat.
“Do you think Tinubu is the problem? The judiciary that didn’t stop him from getting there in the first place is a problem. If all the allegations against him are true, how did he contest?” he asked.
Kuti argued that a credible and independent judicial system would have played a crucial role in determining whether Tinubu was qualified to contest the presidency in the first place, given the allegations that had surrounded his political career.
“If we had men and women of calibre and integrity, he wouldn’t have been able to contest in the first place,” he said.
The Problem Goes Beyond Aso Rock
For Kuti, changing the occupant of the presidential office without fixing the institutions surrounding government would do little to fundamentally change Nigeria.
He described corruption as deeply entrenched in the country’s political and institutional structures, suggesting that many of those entrusted with leadership across different sectors belong to the same elite class.
His argument shifts the focus from Nigeria’s political personalities to the systems that allow individuals to attain and retain power.
Rather than seeing Tinubu as the single source of Nigeria’s challenges, Kuti suggested that the country must confront the institutions that have enabled corruption and weakened accountability over the years.
A System That Discourages Young Nigerians
The musician also warned about the effect of systemic corruption on the country’s younger generation.
According to him, the persistence of corruption across Nigeria’s institutions can gradually destroy the hopes and aspirations of young people who expect their country to provide a fair environment in which they can build their futures.
For Kuti, the crisis is therefore bigger than one administration or one political party.
His comments add another voice to the long-running debate over whether Nigeria’s challenges are primarily the result of individual leadership or a broader failure of institutions.
The Afrobeat star’s position is clear: removing one person from power without repairing the system that produced and protects political power may leave the deeper problem untouched.
