Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti may have amassed significant wealth during his lifetime, but he died poor due to his extreme generosity, according to his grandson and fellow musician, Made Kuti.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Tea With Tay podcast hosted by actor Taymesan, Made Kuti offered rare insight into the private life of the late music legend.
He described Fela as a man of the people whose open-handedness and egalitarian lifestyle ultimately left him with little to call his own.
“He was broke. Fela died poor,” Made Kuti said. “He had the kind of money that could have bought a whole street, but when he comes back from a show in Kalakuta, he would open a box of money and say anyone who needs it should take it.
Anybody from the street could walk into Fela’s house. It was an open house policy; anyone could walk in and walk out at any time.”
Made also revealed that Fela did not allow his children to refer to him as “dad” or “father,” in a bid to eliminate special treatment and foster equality among all residents and visitors to his famous Kalakuta Republic. “Everybody was equal in Kalakuta,” he added.
Reflecting on his grandfather’s legacy, Made noted that Fela was often more celebrated abroad than in his own country during his lifetime. “During Fela’s lifetime, he was appreciated more internationally than he was locally,” he said.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential musical and political voices, died on August 2, 1997, at the age of 58. Known for his fearless activism, pan-African ideals, and revolutionary sound, Fela’s legacy continues to resonate globally more than two decades after his passing.
