‘Fela Was Not A Good Father, He Once Called Us Useless Children’ – Yeni Kuti

Media personality, Yeni Kuti, the daughter of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has said the late singer was not a good father.

Naija News reports that Yeni during a recent chat with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, recalled how her father once called her and other siblings useless children.

She, however, noted that the late musician was an icon and a role model but she was never bold enough to confront him about not being a good father.

Yeni further stated that Fela and his first son, Femi were always at loggerheads, unlike her and Shola who were timid and probably 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.”