How being Fela’s daughter ruined my love life – Yeni Kuti

Yeni Kuti, a Nigerian dancer, has revealed that her late father, Afrobeats pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, once cost her a connection with a boyfriend.

Growing up as Fela’s child was not cool, according to the dancer and former fashion designer, but the situation has changed now that they are grownups.

Yeni described how the mother of a guy she admired rushed her out of their house, accusing her of attempting to ruin her son’s life, and the women told her not to visit him again.

The popular dancer also shared a story of a lady who broke up with her younger brother, Femi, after discovering he is Fela’s child.

Yeni said; “Femi had a girlfriend and immediately they knew he was Fela’s son, they broke up the relationship. A girl warned my cousin never to introduce her to such a type of person [Fela’s family].

“People did not want to know us because at the time he [Fela] was in and out of jail. However, I can say that being Fela’s child then and now are two totally different things. Then it was not really a good thing to be Fela’s child which I did not care about but now it is a good thing. We have been through a phase.

“I remember one guy that I really liked. I mean, I really liked him but his mother walked me out of their house. The woman was yelling, ‘Don’t come near my son again. You want to destroy my son’s life.’”