Seun Kuti, son of the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has made a startling claim that his father’s wives were not faithful and that some of them brought HIV into the household. The musician made the revelation during a recent Instagram live session, challenging the long-held narrative that Fela was responsible for infecting his wives with the disease.
Seun Kuti described the situation as one of his father’s biggest mistakes.
“Fela made many mistakes. One of the mistakes he made -one day, I saw a video of a lady online saying why are people praising Fela’s legacy despite him giving women HIV and dying of AIDS.”
He countered the popular perception by stating that Fela allowed his wives the same freedom he enjoyed.
“Fela did not keep his women to himself. He believed that as he is free to sleep with all the women, the women are also free to meet other men. His law was that they shouldn’t bring the men to his house.”
According to Seun Kuti, the women were the ones who introduced the virus into the home.
“My father doesn’t leave his house to sleep with other women outside, so it was his women who brought HIV home to him. Nobody is perfect. Everybody make mistakes. But Fela is a man that is on the side of humanity.”
He further argued that Fela’s decision to live outside traditional norms contributed to his fate.
“If Fela was a traditional man, he would still be alive.”
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti made global headlines in 1978 when he married 27 women in a single traditional ceremony in Lagos on February 20. The marriages were part of his unconventional lifestyle and rebellion against societal norms. He passed away in 1997 from complications related to AIDS.
Seun Kuti’s comments have ignited intense debate online, with many questioning the accuracy of the claims about his father’s personal life. The revelation adds a new layer to the complex legacy of Fela, who remains one of Africa’s most influential musicians and activists.