Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti has said President Bola Tinubu is not Nigeria’s major problem, questioning how he was allowed to contest the presidency if what he described as “multiple allegations” against him were true. Kuti made the statement during a recent episode of the Good News Naija podcast while discussing Nigeria’s leadership and the institutional […]
Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti has said President Bola Tinubu is not Nigeria’s major problem, questioning how he was allowed to contest the presidency if what he described as “multiple allegations” against him were true.
Kuti made the statement during a recent episode of the Good News Naija podcast while discussing Nigeria’s leadership and the institutional problems he believes are responsible for the country’s difficulties.The musician argued that institutional corruption, rather than Tinubu alone, was Nigeria’s main problem.
He specifically pointed to the judiciary, saying that if Nigeria had a good judicial system, Tinubu would not have been able to contest the presidency in the first place.Kuti asked how Tinubu was able to contest if the allegations against him were true, saying, “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 argued that Nigeria would have a different situation if people of calibre and integrity occupied positions of responsibility. According to Kuti, the failure to have such people within the country’s institutions has allowed corruption to become deeply rooted.
The Afrobeat legend further said corruption affected leadership across different sectors, arguing that those entrusted with leadership responsibilities belonged to the same class of corrupt elite. He therefore maintained that Nigeria’s problem was systemic and could not simply be reduced to one political leader.Kuti also warned about the impact of the situation on young Nigerians.
He said systemic corruption was capable of dashing the hopes of young people in the country, pointing to the wider consequences of institutional failure.His comments shift the focus from the President alone to the institutions responsible for leadership and accountability.
Kuti’s argument is that those institutions must be examined if Nigeria is to address the corruption he described as deeply rooted.The musician’s position comes amid continuing political debate over Nigeria’s leadership and the direction of the country ahead of the 2027 elections. He maintained that stronger institutions and people of integrity were needed to address the country’s deeper problems.