Fela Was An Icon But Not A Good Father – Yeni Kuti Opens Up

Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s daughter, Yeni Kuti, has said that the late singer was not a very good father.

She, however, said the late musician was an icon and a role model.

She stated this in a recent chat with media personality, Chude Jideonwo.

Yeni said she never confronted her dad about not being a good father, but the late singer and his first son, Femi were always at loggerheads.

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.”