By Abiola Olawale
Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti has weighed in on the heated online debate pitting global Afrobeats superstar Wizkid against his late father, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, calling such comparisons “unnecessary” and urging Nigerians to focus on more pressing national issues.
In an interview on Arise Television, Femi Kuti expressed regret that the controversy ever surfaced, describing it as distracting and unhelpful amid Nigeria’s broader challenges.
The remarks come after days of intense social media arguments sparked by comments involving Wizkid and Femi’s brother, Seun Kuti.
The debate reignited when Seun Kuti criticized Wizkid’s fans (known as “FC”) for repeatedly comparing the “Essence” hitmaker to Fela, accusing them of diminishing his father’s unmatched cultural, musical, and political legacy.
Wizkid responded by claiming he was “bigger” than Fela in a heated exchange, fueling widespread reactions across platforms.
Femi Kuti, a Grammy-nominated artist in his own right, deliberately distanced himself from entering the fray directly.
He said, “I’m sure you have seen I’ve not said anything, Fela is our father, I think, I would say, all even the younger artists respect him and I don’t think it was an issue that should have been brought up because he is the template of many things, musically, artistically in Nigeria.”
According to him, Fela should not be placed in competition with present-day artistes, noting that his late father remains the foundation upon which Nigeria’s modern music industry was built.
He said, “So Fela should just be put in a section or sector of his own, and we just idolise and respect him. He’s our father. I don’t want to go into Seun and Wizkid’s matter because, you know, Seun is my brother, Wizkid is like a son, and I wish it had not arisen. Hopefully, everybody will calm down very soon.”
While acknowledging the global success of contemporary Afrobeat artistes, Femi said the focus should be on unity and nation-building rather than rivalry narratives.
“Nigeria has been participating in the Grammys so much these days It’s good for Africa. It’s good for the country. It’s good we’re getting the recognition we deserve. So I think we should all be happy for ourselves and we should use all this to build the country, build our music industry, build the nation, come together,” he said.
Femi lamented that deep-rooted challenges such as tribalism, terrorism, and corruption continue to plague the country, urging Nigerians, particularly young people, to prioritise governance and national development.
“Look, tribalism is a big issue in the country today, terrorism is a big issue, those are the things we should be focused on.
“How is Nigeria going to be safe? How are we going to go back? Look, there was a time when you were sick in the seventies, the General Hospital used to give drugs for free.
“Things were moving, and Fela was complaining at that time, and many of us could not understand what he was talking about? Now it’s so clear to us that, look, this man saw that corruption was killing Nigeria in those days. And if we keep on discussing these kinds of issues that are not relevant to the general public, I think we are part of the downfall of our nation itself,” he said.
