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Tag: Yeni Kuti

  • Yeni Kuti: ‘Leave Fela alone, compare yourselves to peers’

    Yeni Kuti: ‘Leave Fela alone, compare yourselves to peers’

    Yeni Kuti, daughter of late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has condemned Nigerian singers who compare themselves to her father, saying it diminishes his legacy.

    She made the remarks after receiving Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammys.

    In an interview with Arise TV, Yeni Kuti emphasised that Fela’s continued relevance 29 years after his death speaks for itself, and urged contemporary artists to respect his legacy by focusing on their own achievements.

    Read Also: I wished Wizkid, Seun dispute never happened – Femi Kuti

    She advised artists to compare themselves with peers, not legends, saying, “Don’t compare chalk and cheese. Fela is a legend; give him his flowers. He has done his part.

    “If you are still talking about him 29 years after his death and you’re comparing yourself with him, you’re not a dead man walking. So, comparing yourself with him is not a good thing.

    “Compare yourself with your peers and leave our legends alone. We have legends, let’s respect them.”

  • Yeni Kuti weighs in on Wizkid, Seun feud, defends father’s legacy

    Yeni Kuti weighs in on Wizkid, Seun feud, defends father’s legacy

    Yeni Kuti, daughter of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, has broken the silence on the escalating feud between her brother Seun Kuti and Grammy-winning singer Wizkid.

    Speaking on TVC’s Your View on Thursday, Kuti expressed disappointment that Wizkid involved her late father in the dispute.

    Yeni recalled Wizkid’s early days as a backup singer at the Shrine, emphasising her affection for him.

    Read Also: I’m bigger than Fela, Wizkid replies Seun Kuti

    “I love Wizkid a lot, he is my paddy na. He is my small friend. I remember when he started at the Shrine, he was a backup singer. I cannot stop liking Wizkid.”

    The feud began with a social media exchange between Seun Kuti and Wizkid, drawing public attention.

    Yeni said she wished Wizkid had ended it earlier, emphasising Fela’s enduring influence, and expressed concern about the timing, ahead of Fela’s Grammy celebration, saying it’s Nigeria that’s being tarnished.

    “I wish when all these started, he had put a stop to it before it became what it is now. We are just about to celebrate our icon at the Grammy, and you are all doing all this rubbish, as if you are trying to dirty something. It’s not Fela or Fela’s family you are dirtying, it’s Nigeria. If you have a problem with someone, why are you now calling Fela out?,” she said.

    Fela’s legacy, Yeni said, is what’s highlighting his greatness, “Fela has done his own 27 years, 27 years, and you are still calling his name. That is just the answer to his greatness”, Yeni added.

  • Fela was admitted to music school with pity – Yeni Kuti

    Fela was admitted to music school with pity – Yeni Kuti

    Daughter of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Yeni Kuti, has revealed that her father was admitted to Trinity College of Music in London in 1958, not on merit but out of pity.

    Yeni, in a video, revealed that Fela’s parents initially didn’t want him to study abroad due to his average academic grades, unlike his younger brother who excelled.

    However, Fela’s older siblings in London deceived their parents into believing that Fela had secured admission to study medicine.

    According to Yeni, when Fela arrived in London, he was almost rejected by Trinity College of Music due to his poor qualifications.

    The admission officer, however, took pity on him because he had travelled from overseas, and granted him admission.

    Speaking in a recent episode of the TVC programme, Your View, Kuti said, “I want to share a story about my father [Fela].

    “When he was in secondary school, you know his parents were academics, so they were pressuring him to study hard. His older brother and sister had gone to university overseas.

    “It was him and his younger brother who were with their parents at that time. His younger brother had excellent grades, but Fela was very average. So, his parents didn’t want him to go abroad for studies.

    Read Also: Fela’s fanbase turned against me when I left him – Femi Kuti

    “But his brother wanted him to stay with him in London, so they lied to their parents that Fela was going to a medical school. That was how he got to England.

    “They enrolled him in musical school because by time Fela was playing the piano. When he got to the music school, the admission officer said, ‘It’s only because you’ve come a long distance that I’m going to allow you into this school with these results.’ That was how Fela even got the music school out of pity. But look at it today, he is a legend.”

  • Yeni Kuti criticises Ngozi Ezeonu for condemning ladies’ audition outfits

    Yeni Kuti criticises Ngozi Ezeonu for condemning ladies’ audition outfits

    Media personality, Yeni Kuti, has reacted over the controversy surrounding veteran actress Ngozi Ezeonu’s rebuke of two young ladies for wearing revealing outfits to an audition.

    On TVC’s Your View show, Yeni Kuti stated that Ngozi has no right to condemn the ladies, questioning what she wore and did during her own youthful days.

    Read Also; Tinubu mourns passing of House Deputy Chief Whip Onanuga

    Yeni Kuti said that older people often forget their own past indiscretions.

    “It wasn’t any of her business. All she had to do was reject them, that’s all. We older people tend to forget what we did in our youthful days”, she said.

  • How being Fela’s child cost me my relationship – Yeni Kuti

    How being Fela’s child cost me my relationship – Yeni Kuti

    Yeni Kuti, popular media personality and first daughter of Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has recounted how her being an offspring of the legendary cost her relationship.

    Speaking in a recent interview with Daily Trust, Yeni said being Fela’s child wasn’t cool.

    The renowned singer and dancer also revealed how a lady once broke up with her younger brother, Femi, after finding out he was Fela’s child.

    She said: “Femi had a girlfriend and immediately they knew he was Fela’s son, they broke up the relationship. A girl warned my cousin never to introduce her to such a type of person.

    Read Also: Iconic Fela not a good father – Yeni Kuti

    “People did not want to know us because at the time Fela was in and out of jail. However, I can say that being Fela’s child then and now are two totally different things. Then it was not really a good thing to be Fela’s child which I did not care about but now it is a good thing. We have been through a phase.”

    She added: “I remember one guy that I really liked. I mean, I really liked him but his mother walked me out of their house. The woman was yelling, ‘Don’t come near my son again. You want to destroy my son’s life.”

  • ‘We used to sneak out of the compound to catch fishes’

    In this encounter with Edozie Udeze in Abeokuta, Yeni Kuti, recounts with profound nostalgia her growing up years at her grandmother, Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s house in Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was at the unveiling of the Kuti Heritage House which has been turned into a museum by the Ogun State government.

    AT the unveiling of the magnificent house built by Mrs. Olufunmilayo Frances Abigail Ransome-kuti, a renowned political activist, mother of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and grandmother of Yeni Kuti, in Abeokuta, it was really a moment for Yeni to reflect and recount those early years of her life when she was growing up.  She remembers mostly as a child some remarkable events which also helped to shape her life.  As she sat quietly on one side of the compound in company of her friends, Yeni wondered into the past.  In an interview with The Nation, she didn’t fail to express her happiness that such a memorable event was happening in her life time.

    “Yes, I am happy,” she quickly reacted to a question put to her by this reporter.  “I am happy”, she repeated.  “For us the Kutis, it is not all about the house you live in.  No.  For others if you abandon your house, the house may die with you.  But now, it is time to keep the legacy of the Kuti house and what it stands for.  When I look back…  I lived here for a while.  Yes, I did as a child.  I remember we used to catch fishes from one river (or stream) behind the house.  Unfortunately it is no longer there now.  It has been sandfilled.  I don’t know if it is a canal now or a gutter (she then pointed towards the direction of the river by the backyard of the house).  I lived here for a while with my grandmother.

    So my grandmother had a gate there and we used to sneak out into the open space over there.  We would do that to be part of the people.  But soon after, we would come back.  I remember eating…  You know those termites that usually come out with the rains…  Yes, I used to catch and fry it after the rains.  It was good.  It was fun and I have those memories and a couple of others about this place, about this house that belongs to my grandmother Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

    It was my grandmother who was strict, very strict.  This surrounding, I mean this neighbourhood was not as crowded as it is today.  We didn’t live exclusively though, but then the population was quite less than it is now.  The compound looked very big to me then.  May be because I am older now, but then as a kid I saw it as a very big compound.  It was a very peaceful and beautiful place at that time.  We enjoyed that peace very well.  It wasn’t that it was really a big place, but from the eyes of the child it appeared so.

    We were allowed a bit of freedom to move around.  Yes, we were.  There was a house over there that was a boarding house.  So, it gave a bit of a boisterous life to the area.

    Concerning the renovation of the house located at the Ishabo area of Abeokuta for the purpose of turning it into a museum, Yeni, said “the idea started with the architect, Theo Lawson coming into the picture.  He started it all, I mean the renovation.  He got it to this stage it is now.  It is to keep the Kuti legacy just like the Kalakuta Republic and all.  Then I brought him here and he exclaimed, oh this is a big house, we need to preserve it for the sake of history.  At that time erosion was hitting the compound seriously from all directions.  We took the matter to the former governor, Gbenga Daniel.  However, he was not… he was about to leave office then.  So, there was no time for him to pay proper attention to the renovation or the sort.  So when this governor (Ibikunle Amosun) came into office, we took the matter to him.  He showed interest and encouraged work on it…  Finally, we are happy, yes we are happy that it has come to be as you can see”.

    What then are the new things this will add to your family name, and the legacies of the Kutis?, she was asked, “Ah that is for you to judge, not me.  You know a lot of us are in public eye and a lot of people are watching to see how it goes.  So it is for you to judge, when you are gone or when your children are there.  It is not for me to say oh or something else.  All I know is that it is a legacy that will be here for a long time.  I can’t remember the date of the erection of the house.  I wasn’t born then.  So, you have to ask my father.  That means you’ll go seek him out in his grave (laughs)”.

     

  • FELABRATION: “33” brings games, fun activities to Fela’s show

    JOINING organisers in hosting fans of the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who were part of this year’s Felabration from across the world, “33” Export brand ensured it created a lasting impression on consumers who experienced the fun and excitement that came with the festival.

    By creating a relaxed environment for friends who came to celebrate Fela through engaging games such as Jenga, Connect Four, Beer Pong and so on, the brand which is popular for its flagship event called ‘City of Friends’ had further shown it was aligning with Nigerian culture and entertainment.

    Felabration, now in its 20th year, was initiated by Yeni Kuti, Fela’s first child and her brother Femi, as a platform to celebrate their father’s legacy. This annual music festival ran for a week and attracted guests from around the world who were entertained with a rich display of the Nigerian culture, music and discussions on topical issues affecting society

    This year, the event ran from the 15th October to the 21st, at the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos and was themed “Overtaking, Overtake”, a line coined from the 1990 Fela hit ODOO – Overtake Don Overtake Overtake.

    Popularly known for fostering friendships across the country, 33 Export Lager management said the brand will continue to deepen friendship ties through engaging activities by encouraging consumers to celebrate amiability and friendship.

  • What Nigerians should learn from Fela – Yeni Kuti

    Yeni Kuti, daughter of the late legendary musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, on Wednesday, advised Nigerians to emulate her father’s pursuit of unity, for national development.

    Kuti told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that for the nation to make remarkable progress, its citizens must pursue unity just like the late musical icon.

    She said that the major problems of the nation, which were ethnicity, religious bigotry and politics, could be subsumed if the spirit of unity is in play the lives of the citizenry.

    According to her, this was emphasised by Fela in music, which she urged all to listen to.

    She said Fela’s song entitled: “Water no get Enemy’’, in a subtle and proverbial manner, through thought-provoking lyrics, preached harmony and unity across humans, with nature as his metaphor.

    “When we consciously pursue unity as a country, we will discover that issues of ethnicity, religious bigotry and politics that divide us will no longer do.

    Read Also: Aging could leave Europe with longer recessions- ECB

    “As a nation, we must work in unity to achieve our collective goals.

    “ We must all see ourselves as Nigerians, regardless of our ethnic group, political bias or religion,’’ she said.

    Kuti said paucity of funds and lack of adequate sponsors had been challenging in organising the ongoing “Felabration”.

    She, however, said that this had not affected the success of the programme.

    “This year’s edition has been awesome, despite the fact that we got few sponsors.

    “Felabration is celebrated in over 20 nations of the world as we speak,’’ she said.

  • YENI KUTI ‘FIXES’ WEDDING DATE

    YENI KUTI ‘FIXES’ WEDDING DATE

    ELDEST daughter of the Afrobeat legend, Yeni Kuti, has come out to say that she is considering a second time plunge into matrimony, at 55. The celebrity show host and former dancer has been with her partner, Theo Lawson, for nine years and admitted that she is considering another try at matrimony.

    “Yes, we have already fixed a date,” said Yeni. “20 years from now. If we are still alive, we will send the IV out. Saturday, May 24, 2036, if we are alive. I am serious. We discussed it yesterday.”

    The lovely mother of a grown daughter  received a marriage proposal from her long term partner on her 55th birthday. She earlier explained that the marriage proposal was a call for greater commitment from her partner, not necessarily a marriage proposal, even as the ring she received from him was not really an engagement ring per se.

    “The ring my partner gave me is what they call ‘a commitment ring’,” she said.

    “He gave me his mother’s wedding ring as a commitment to the relationship. We have been together for about nine years. When I met him, he used to wear the ring around his neck, so for me, it is a big deal.”

    YK, as she is fondly known, also explained that they were not planning a wedding or anything as such, but rather that what she got from her man was actually something very precious to him. “He has entrusted me with something very close to his heart. It is not like we are going to start doing wedding and all that, even though we are really committed to each other.”

    Concluding her statement, YK posited that Theo was not only the man for her, but her last. She concluded. “I call him ‘my last bus stop’. If God gives us long life and says there should be another man in my life, he is the man for me and I believe I am the woman for him as well.”

  • Yeni Kuti gets promise ring

    Like fine wine that gets better with age, Yeii Kuti, first daughter of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, appears to be getting more beautiful as she gets older. She clocked 55 a few days ago and the events that greeted her surprise birthday caused many to double over in glee and the media to buzz frantically. It was gathered that Yeni’s partner of nine years, Theo Lawson, went down on one knee and asked Yeni to spend the rest of her life with him.

    While Yeni denied being engaged, she confirmed that Theo indeed adorned her finger with a ring. The anticipation of wedding sensationalists was cut short when Yeni explained that what she got from her partner was a commitment ring, to be carefully distinguished from an engagement ring. The ring from Theo is simply a symbol of his commitment to her. The ring once belonged to Theo’s mother and he has worn it for quite a while. Yeni emphasised the fact that they are not engaged but are in a committed relationship.

    It will be recalled that Yeni was once married to Femi Segun, a veteran broadcaster who died some years ago from injuries he sustained from a bike accident. Their union is blessed with a daughter, Rolari, who got married to her beau on June 27, 2015 at the African Shrine in Lagos.