Yeni Kuti, daughter of Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, recently spoke out about her father’s shortcomings as a parent.
During a conversation with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Yeni revealed that Fela had once called her and her siblings “useless children.”
While she acknowledged that Fela was an icon and a role model, Yeni admitted that she was never brave enough to confront him about his parenting.
She also noted that Fela and his first son Femi often clashed, while she and her sister Shola were more timid and likely didn’t speak up because they were women.
She said, “He [Fela] was not quite a good father. No [I never told him that he isn’t a good father]. Maybe Femi, not me. Femi and Fela used to have battles. And Femi will give it to him straight.
“Shola and I, we were like timid. You know, they said, ‘When two elephants are fighting, the grass will keep quiet.
“I can remember one day, Fela just came and said, ‘three of you are useless children’. Femi just said, ‘for what?
“Femi just started facing him and then they started facing each other. Shola and I will say, ‘it’s okay’. Fela will say, ‘No’. And Femi just said, ‘let him go’.
“I don’t think I have ever had that kind of confrontation with my father. Maybe because I was a woman.”
Despite these revelations, Yeni still holds her father in high regard and recognizes his impact on music and culture.
Article updated 6 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
