Online activism: Govt would have banned social media if… — Seun Kuti

Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has said online activism is often overstated, arguing that governments would have restricted access to social media if it were truly as powerful as people believe.

Speaking in a video posted on his verified Instagram page, Kuti questioned the effectiveness of digital campaigns in driving real-world change, insisting that repeated online advocacy has not always translated into tangible outcomes.

He referenced Nigeria’s past advocacy efforts, including the “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign that followed the abduction of schoolgirls, noting that despite sustained public attention across multiple administrations, the issue persisted.

“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.

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Kuti also said persistent criticism often follows when such issues are revisited.

“It later became a situation where if you bring it up, people will attack or insult you,” he added.

He argued that Nigeria tends to repeat the same approaches while expecting different results.

“As usual, in Nigeria, we keep repeating the same tactics and expecting a different result.

“Nigeria deserves more than our videos from you,” he said.

On social media activism, Kuti questioned its perceived influence.

“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 further claimed that digital platforms are subject to control and moderation.

“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.”

Kuti concluded that relying solely on online campaigns is insufficient to drive meaningful change.

“So, in reality, what we think we are achieving by simply making videos online is not enough.”