Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has said his late father, music legend Fela Anikulapo‑Kuti, did not forbid his wives from having relationships with other men.
He spoke about the issue during an Instagram livestream, addressing online claims about how Fela contracted HIV.
Seun said critics have suggested Fela brought the disease on himself, but he rejected that idea. He said his father allowed his wives personal freedom and that this was one of his father’s mistakes.
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.”
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 Fela’s personal code was that his wives should not bring their other partners to his home. He also said his father did not have relationships with women 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 went on to say, “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.”
Seun Kuti has been outspoken on many issues over the years. He has criticised repeated comparisons between Fela and contemporary stars, describing them as disrespectful to his father’s legacy. This led to a public disagreement with singer Wizkid in early 2026, after Seun warned fans against claiming Wizkid was the new Fela.
Fela Anikulapo‑Kuti is widely credited with creating Afrobeat, a musical genre blending jazz, funk, highlife, and traditional African rhythms. He used his music and public platform to challenge political corruption and social injustice in Nigeria.
