Seun Kuti, the youngest son of late Afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has narrated how he suffered stigmatisation while growing up for being his late father’s son.
The Afrobeat singer said his paternity affected not only his personal life but also his relationships, stressing that he couldn’t go to his girlfriend’s father’s house.
Kuti made the revelation during a recent interview with actress Iyabo Ojo.
According to him, the stigmatisation was appalling because his late father didn’t do anything to warrant it.
“When I was growing up, I was stigmatized for being Fela’s son. I couldn’t even enter my girlfriend’s father’s house. Even on the street, people would always point at me and say, ‘See Fela pikin.’ It was annoying because my father didn’t do anything.
“Now, these killers, murderers, corrupt thieves that their actions are killing millions of Nigerians everyday, you are willing to be in party with them and hailing them. We need to check ourselves,” he said.
He also disclosed during the interview that he joined his late father’s band, Egypt 80, at the age of 8.
Born in 1983, Kuti became interested in music at the age of five, by the time he turned nine, he had started playing with his father’s band, Egypt 80.
After Fela Kuti’s death in 1997, Seun Kuti took the role of leading Egypt 80. (DailyTrust)