Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has questioned the effectiveness of online activism, saying Nigerians must go beyond posting videos and running digital campaigns if they want real change.
Kuti, in a video posted on his verified Instagram page, argued that social media activism is often overrated and does not always translate into concrete action or results.
According to him, if social media were as powerful as many people believe, governments would not allow citizens to have unrestricted access to it.
“Social media is not as powerful as many people think it is. If social media truly had the power people believe it has, governments would not allow unrestricted access to it,” he said.
He added that digital platforms are regulated and controlled, noting that algorithms can suppress posts and limit the reach of certain content.
“Social media is regulated and controlled. Algorithms can suppress content. My last video had its audio removed, and I returned to post again, but the post was restricted,” he said.
Kuti cited Nigeria’s past advocacy campaigns, including the “Bring Back Our Girls” movement, which followed the abduction of schoolgirls, as an example of how repeated online campaigns do not always produce the desired outcome.
“If you remember clearly, during the previous administration, we kept shouting ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ every day. From Jonathan to Buhari, the slogan continued. Even when Buhari came into office, the girls were still not returned,” he said.
He also said that when some unresolved national issues are raised repeatedly, critics often attack those who bring them up.
“It later became a situation where if you bring it up, people will attack or insult you,” he added.
The musician said Nigeria has continued to repeat the same methods while expecting different results.
“As usual, in Nigeria, we keep repeating the same tactics and expecting a different result,” he said.
He maintained that the country deserves more than videos and online outrage from citizens.
“Nigeria deserves more than our videos from you,” he added.
Kuti concluded that while online expression may create awareness, relying solely on digital campaigns is not enough to bring meaningful change.
“So, in reality, what we think we are achieving by simply making videos online is not enough,” he said.
The post Seun Kuti: Online Activism Alone Cannot Change Nigeria, Says Government Would Restrict Social Media If It Were Truly Powerful appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
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