How being Fela’s daughter ruined my love life – Yeni Kuti

Nigerian dancer, Yeni Kuti has recounted how her late father, Afrobeats pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, once cost her a relationship with a lover.

The dancer and former fashion designer said growing up as Fela’s child wasn’t cool, but the situation is different now that they are adults.

Yeni recalled how the mother of a guy she liked chased her out of their house on the allegation that she wanted to ruin her son’s life and the women warned her never to visit him.

The popular dancer also recounted how a lady once broke up with her younger brother, Femi, after finding out he is Fela’s child.

Yeni said; “Femi had a girlfriend and immediately they knew he was Fela’s son, they broke up the relationship. A girl warned my cousin never to introduce her to such a type of person [Fela’s family].

“People did not want to know us because at the time he [Fela] was in and out of jail. However, I can say that being Fela’s child then and now are two totally different things. Then it was not really a good thing to be Fela’s child which I did not care about but now it is a good thing. We have been through a phase.

“I remember one guy that I really liked. I mean, I really liked him but his mother walked me out of their house. The woman was yelling, ‘Don’t come near my son again. You want to destroy my son’s life.’”