Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti has dismissed ongoing comparisons between his late father, Fela Kuti, and contemporary Afrobeats star Wizkid, describing the debate as unnecessary and misplaced.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Femi said his father should be celebrated in a category of his own, stressing that comparing generations of artists serves little purpose.
“Fela is our father. He should be placed in a sector of his own,” Femi said. “We idolise him and respect him. Wizkid is like a son to me, Seun is my brother. That comparison should never have arisen.”
Femi urged Nigerians, particularly young people to move away from divisive conversations and focus on more pressing national challenges, including governance and unity.
“We should be happy that Nigeria is being recognised at the Grammys,” he said. “It’s good for Africa, good for the country. But tribalism, terrorism, those are the issues we should be focused on.”
He warned that the country risks stagnation if the younger generation fails to take responsibility for demanding accountability from leaders.
“If young people don’t take the baton and demand good governance, we are going to be in serious trouble,” Femi cautioned. “Fela spoke, he’s gone. It’s 29 years now, and we’re still talking about the same problems.”
Reflecting on his own decades-long career, the Afrobeat icon expressed concern that Nigeria continues to grapple with the same social ills.
“I’ve been in music for over 40 years, and 90 per cent of my songs are political,” he said. “How long will we keep talking about corruption, kidnapping and poverty? When will Nigeria finally come together to build a nation?”
