Femi Kuti Says Nigeria’s Issues Come from Corruption, Not Tinubu

Afrobeat star Femi Kuti has said that President Bola Tinubu is not Nigeria’s main problem. He believes the country’s issues come from serious institutional corruption.

Kuti stated that the judiciary and other bodies meant to ensure accountability must also take blame for allowing leaders accused of corruption to rise to power.

In a recent episode of the Good News Naija podcast, which has been gaining attention, Kuti mentioned that if the claims against Tinubu are true, a judicial system with honest people should have stopped him from running for president.

“Do you think Tinubu is a problem? The judiciary that didn’t stop him from getting there in the first place is a problem.

“If all what they are saying is true, how did he contest? If we had men and women of calibre and integrity, he would not have been able to contest in the first place,” Kuti said.

Kuti pointed out that corruption is deeply rooted in Nigeria’s political and leadership systems. He said that many of the country’s elite often belong to the same network, no matter their political party.

Looking back at the anti-corruption efforts during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s time, Kuti mentioned the creation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and its first chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.

“Obasanjo put EFCC to arrest all the corrupt people. One of the first people the EFCC arrested was his daughter, …,” he said.

He continued, “Then, Ribadu was removed or he even ran away because I think they were after his life. So they removed him from head of the EFCC.

“This same Ribadu is now Tinubu’s security personnel. So you see, it’s the same people. They go to the same parties. They go to the same weddings. They hug themselves. They do everything together.”

Kuti warned that this situation might make young Nigerians lose faith in the country and its systems.

“A young boy of 15 that has this history, or 20, when you see what is going on, where is your belief in the system? Where is your belief that you have a future in this country?” he asked.

He stressed that fixing Nigeria’s problems will need stronger institutions and ensuring that those given power are held accountable.