Why I still miss Fela – Yeni Kuti
Weekend Magazine: As the first child of Fela, what has the pressure to live up to his name been like? Yeni Kuti: There has not really been any pressure on me, maybe because I am female. But then we as children have a task of making sure his legacy doesn’t fade away. WM: You started […]
Weekend Magazine: As the first child of Fela, what has the pressure to live up to his name been like?
Yeni Kuti: There has not really been any pressure on me, maybe because I am female. But then we as children have a task of making sure his legacy doesn’t fade away.
WM: You started your dance career with your brother, Femi’s band. People are curious to know why you didn’t start with your dad’s band.
Kuti: There was too much politics in Fela’s band with the wives. I had wanted to choreograph, not dance, but I could not deal with the politics that was involved in the whole thing then. I had gone to meet Fela and he said I could go ahead and choreograph but I found it too difficult to deal with. So I decided to go ahead and start with Femi instead.
WM: You have quit dancing for some years now. Do you miss it?
Kuti: Not too much, maybe once in a while. I don’t have the energy I used to have back then. Back then we danced three hours nonstop. I don’t even know how Femi does it, because we are almost the same age, but he is still going on strong.
WM: In your opinion, what would afro-beat have been without Fela?
Kuti: Fela was the creator of afro-beat without him there would have been nothing like that. When you talk of afro-beat you talk Fela and when you talk of Fela you talk of afro-beat. Afro-beat is synonymous with Fela.
WM: Has your dad’s legacy paved the way for you in life?
Kuti: Earlier on in life, being Fela’s daughter was difficult; people just associated his name with bad things. They did not see positive things. Parents did not want their children being friends with us and so on. Now that he is gone, Nigerians now know what they have lost, so it is a totally different ball game. I must say here, good or bad, I am proud of whom I am and to be a daughter of Fela, one of Africa’s, if not the worlds’ greatest minds.
WM: As a dancer back then, were there times you wanted to quit?
Kuti: Looking back, I guess so. The thought crossed my mind at times when we had really difficult tours, back-to-back shows and no rest. Losing weight, hungry, tired, I just felt, oh gosh, I can’t take this anymore, I am exhausted. So there were situations like that, yes, but I am glad that despite all that, I stayed till the end.
WM: You have been celebrating Felabration for years. How has it been?
Kuti: It has been holding every year since Fela died. Last year’s theme was: ‘The Legends:’ Who no know, go know;’ which is a title song of one of Fela’s tracks. The annual celebration of the legacy of the afro-beat icon, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, keeps gathering momentum. The Felabration event has become a melting pot for all lovers of Fela’s music and ideology. We have not reached the peak of Felabration but we are getting their fast.
WM: Foreigners are on a daily basis accepting afro-beat more than the originators themselves. What is your take on this?
Kuti: Are you saying Femi and Seun don’t play afro-beat, or are you saying Nigerians? Nigerians prefer to listen to Western music more than listen to afro-beat. This is one aspect we need give ourselves orientation. Afro-beat is part of us and we need to embrace it.
WM: Are you saying Nigerians to be precise, don’t appreciate afro-beat?
Kuti: Afro-beat does not get the airplay it deserves here in Nigeria. Most radio stations play foreign inspired music. If we keep playing such and relegating afro-beat to the background, how do people appreciate it? So Africans and Nigerians cannot appreciate what they don’t hear.
WM: Is your daughter hoping to join the family business anytime soon?
Kuti: My daughter is 26 and is a Computer Science graduate. She has worked for many years and doesn’t do music. So I don’t know if she is thinking of joining the family business anytime soon.
WM: What is the most cherished moment you recall of your dad?
Kuti: Too many to name one. But I sure miss him. Being with him was always a cherished moment.
WM: At 54 years old, you still look amazing. What is the secret?
Kuti: Diaris God o! I just try to be happy. Happiness eases stress. When you are happy it radiates in every other aspect of your life.
WM: You are managing the African Shrine. What have been the challenges so far?
Kuti: There are too many to start mentioning them all. The challenges range from lack of electricity, water, generator problems, buying diesel; in fact, we face most of the challenges that private enterprises in Nigeria face.
WM: What price have you had to pay for fame?
Kuti: You have to be well-behaved anytime you are in public. Always make sure you are nice. I don’t think I have paid any price for fame. I have just been me ,and that is it.
WM: Is there a chance for marriage for you?
Kuti: I am in a very happy relationship.