Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo says President Tinubu is well-intentioned and capable of fixing Nigeria, but warns that deep-rooted institutional failures continue to hinder progress
Ashimolowo Says Tinubu Can Fix Nigeria, But Warns System Is Fundamentally Broken
Senior pastor and televangelist, Matthew Ashimolowo, has expressed optimism about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, saying he believes the Nigerian leader is genuinely committed to fixing the country but is constrained by a deeply flawed system that continues to undermine progress.
Speaking in a video that has since gone viral on social media, the 73-year-old founder of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) said Nigeria’s challenges cannot be resolved by leadership alone, insisting that structural and institutional reforms are equally critical to national transformation.
“I believe we have a president who is ready to fix this nation. I believe he’s seen it all and I believe he is well-intentioned. The system is broken, so you can’t fix the presidency and leave the system untouched,” he said.
Ashimolowo’s remarks come amid ongoing national debates over the pace and impact of economic and governance reforms under the Tinubu administration, with citizens and political observers divided over whether current policies are delivering meaningful relief or deepening hardship.
The cleric argued that Nigeria’s difficulties are not new but are instead the result of decades of institutional weaknesses and governance gaps that have persisted across successive administrations. According to him, meaningful progress will remain difficult unless attention shifts from personalities in leadership to the strengthening of national systems.
He further noted that Nigerians often place excessive emphasis on electing the right individuals into office while failing to demand or build the institutional frameworks needed to sustain long-term development.
Ashimolowo’s comments add to a growing chorus of voices calling for systemic reforms as a prerequisite for national renewal, even as the Tinubu administration continues to implement its economic restructuring agenda.
His intervention has sparked fresh conversations online about leadership, governance, and whether Nigeria’s challenges are primarily rooted in individuals or in the institutions that shape policy execution and accountability.
