Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti has argued that Nigeria’s challenges cannot be blamed on President Bola Tinubu alone, pointing instead to what he described as deeply rooted corruption within the country’s institutions.
Kuti made the comments during an episode of the GoodNews Naija podcast, where he discussed governance, corruption and the performance of public institutions in Nigeria.
The musician questioned why the country’s judicial and political systems had not prevented individuals facing serious allegations from seeking public office.
“Do you think Tinubu is the problem?” Kuti asked, before directing attention to the judiciary and other institutions responsible for upholding accountability.
He argued that if Nigeria had institutions led by people with sufficient integrity and independence, individuals facing credible allegations would face stronger scrutiny before being allowed to contest elections.
Kuti said the issue therefore extends beyond the occupant of the presidency to the wider system that determines who can attain political power.
He maintained that corruption has become deeply embedded across several areas of Nigerian society, affecting institutions and public administration.
According to the musician, many of those occupying influential positions belong to overlapping political and economic circles, making it difficult to address systemic problems effectively.
He also linked the persistence of corruption to growing frustration among young Nigerians.
Kuti said the failure of institutions to adequately address corruption could undermine young people’s confidence in the country’s future and deepen their sense of disillusionment.
His comments place the debate over Nigeria’s governance challenges within a broader institutional context, rather than focusing solely on the current administration or President Tinubu.
The remarks come amid continuing public debate over corruption, accountability and the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
