Afrobeat singer Made Kuti has opened up about the painful realities behind his legendary grandfather Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s life and death.
He revealed that the music icon died financially broke and largely uncelebrated, until his children gave him a fitting people’s burial.
In a candid interview, Made explained that by the mid-1990s, Fela’s once-towering fame had begun to fade in both the media and public opinion. He said:
“By ’96, ’97, people weren’t speaking positively about him anymore. His popularity had faded in the media and in public opinion.”
Despite his global influence, Fela struggled financially in his final years. Made revealed:
“He was broke. Fela died poor. My dad had to use his own resources to support him.”
According to him, even at the height of his success, Fela lived by an open house policy, freely giving away money to anyone who needed it. He added:
“Even when he made a lot of money, he would come back to Kalakuta, open a box of cash and say, ‘Anybody that needs, take.’”
Made also shared how Fela’s strict egalitarian beliefs shaped, and at times strained his family life. The Afrobeat pioneer refused to let his children call him “dad” or receive any special treatment, insisting that everyone in Kalakuta Republic was equal. He explained:
“My dad had to earn everything on his own, even his place as first son. That was how Fela wanted it.”
The unconventional upbringing, Made believes, left deep emotional scars on his father and aunt. He shared:
“They need therapy. They watched Fela rise, fall, and die without ever being treated differently.”
According to Made, the turning point in how Nigerians viewed Fela came after his death. His children organized a massive public burial, despite warnings that nobody would attend. He recounted:
“They took him to Tafawa Balewa Square and were told, ‘Nobody’s coming.’ Then millions showed up. They took his body through the streets back to Kalakuta. It was aired on TV.”
Made concluded that it was only after Fela’s death that many truly began to understand and appreciate the ideals he fought for. He said:
“It took his death for people to realize what he truly stood for.”
