Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has opened up about the personal life of his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, stating that the music icon never restricted his wives from having relationships with other men
Speaking during an Instagram livestream, Seun addressed widespread online claims surrounding how Fela contracted HIV, pushing back against narratives that blame the legend entirely for his illness.
According to him, his father’s lifestyle was rooted in a belief in personal freedom, even within his marriages.
“Fela made many mistakes,” Seun said. “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.”
Reflecting on that criticism, he added, “I said, ‘Oh, Fela, you see yourself?’ If Fela was a traditional man, he would still be alive. I will tell you something about him that you might not have known, Fela’s women all had other men.”
Seun explained that while his father allowed such freedom, he had a strict condition — none of his wives were permitted to bring their other partners into his home. He also noted that Fela himself did not engage in relationships outside his household.
“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,” Seun said.
He concluded by saying, “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.”
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