Afrobeat veteran Femi Kuti has argued that President Bola Tinubu is not, by himself, the root of Nigeria’s problems, pointing instead to what he described as deeply entrenched institutional corruption.
Kuti made the remarks during an appearance on the Good News Naija podcast, where he questioned whether changing the occupant of the presidency would be enough to address the country’s longstanding challenges.
According to the musician, Nigeria’s institutions, particularly the judiciary, deserve greater scrutiny because of their role in determining who can seek and hold public office.
“Do you think Tinubu is the problem?” Kuti asked, arguing that a stronger judicial system would have addressed the allegations surrounding Tinubu before he could contest the presidency.
He said the broader issue was the absence of enough people of integrity across institutions responsible for governance and public accountability.
“If we had men and women of calibre and integrity, he wouldn’t have been able to contest in the first place,” he said.
Kuti’s argument places the focus beyond the presidency, suggesting that corruption has become embedded across different levels of Nigeria’s political and institutional structure.
He said people occupying leadership positions across various sectors are part of the same wider elite class, making it difficult to isolate the country’s problems to a single administration or individual.
The musician also expressed concern about the effect of systemic corruption on young Nigerians, particularly those looking to build a future in the country.
His comments are consistent with his longstanding public criticism of corruption, poor governance and social inequality. In an earlier 2026 interview, Kuti said many of the problems his late father, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, confronted decades ago remain unresolved.
Kuti has also previously rejected claims that he supported Tinubu or campaigned for him, saying such assertions were false and personally upsetting.
His latest remarks come amid continuing public debate over Nigeria’s governance, corruption and the effectiveness of its institutions, with increasing attention on whether lasting reform can be achieved without strengthening the systems that underpin political accountability.
