‘I was stigmatized for being Fela’s son’ – Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti, the Grammy-nominated artist, has stated that he was bullied as a child because he was the son of the late renegade Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti.

In a recent interview with actress Iyabo Ojo, Kuti stated that his paternity had an impact on his relationship, emphasising that he couldn’t travel to his girlfriend’s father’s house.

He described the stigma as horrible because his late father did nothing to deserve it.

Kuti said, “Growing up, I was stigmatized for being Fela’s son. I couldn’t even enter my girlfriend’s father’s house. Even 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 also disclosed during the interview that he joined his late father’s band, Egypt 80, at the age of 8.

Kanyidaily recalls that Seun Kuti tackled Nigerian celebrities, dubbed them ‘sycophants’ while narrating his experience.