Social Media Is Not As Powerful As You Think — Singer Seun Kuti.

Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has criticised what he describes as the overestimation of social media’s influence, arguing that online activism alone is not enough to drive meaningful societal change.

Speaking in a video, Kuti referenced Nigeria’s past advocacy movements, including the “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign, which followed the abduction of schoolgirls.

He recalled that despite sustained public campaigns across different administrations, the situation remained unresolved:

“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 also noted that repeated criticism often follows when such issues are raised:

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

Kuti argued that Nigeria continues to repeat the same methods while expecting different outcomes:

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

Turning to social media activism, he questioned its perceived power:

“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 stated that digital platforms are regulated and subject to control:

“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 concluded that relying solely on online activism is not sufficient:

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