Media personality Sola Kuti has said Nigeria’s political and economic struggles are largely a product of its system of governance rather than the personalities who occupy public office.
Speaking during a discussion on national affairs, he warned against the belief that simply changing leaders would automatically resolve the country’s long-standing challenges.
Kuti drew a parallel between current expectations surrounding Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and the widespread optimism that greeted former President Muhammadu Buhari before he assumed office.
He recalled that Buhari enjoyed massive public support and was widely seen as a leader who would tackle corruption and fix deep-rooted governance problems.
However, Kuti noted that many Nigerians later felt disappointed, as the outcomes of Buhari’s administration did not align with the high expectations placed on him.
In his view, Peter Obi is now being viewed through a similar lens. “Peter Obi, for me, is just another Buhari,” he said during the conversation.
Kuti stressed that the real issue lies within Nigeria’s political structure, which he described as fundamentally flawed and resistant to meaningful change.
According to him, even well-intentioned leaders often struggle once they get into office because of entrenched interests and institutional constraints.
“The point that I’m trying to make… is that the system, if the system is broken, there’s nothing you can do when you get there,” he explained.
He added that Nigerians tend to place too much emphasis on individual politicians while ignoring the deeper structural issues affecting governance and public service delivery.
Reflecting again on Buhari’s presidency, Kuti said the experience showed how difficult it can be for any leader to deliver significant reforms within a weak system.
Despite his personal criticism of Buhari, he admitted he was surprised by what he described as the former president’s inability to achieve meaningful change.
“No matter how much I didn’t like Buhari… I realized that a soul like him with such principles, in quotes, could go into government and achieve absolutely nothing,” he said.
Kuti concluded that Nigeria’s progress will depend less on who becomes president and more on whether the country’s institutions are properly reformed.