Grammy-nominated singer, Seun Kuti, has shared his experience of how his father, the legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, prioritized philanthropy over inheritance.
He reminisced about his childhood, mentioning that his daily allowance as a student exceeded his teacher’s salary. However, when his father passed away, he inherited nothing due to Fela Kuti’s charitable disposition.
Seun Kuti asserted that his father was providing for approximately 1000 individuals in his Kalakuta commune before his demise.
Speaking in a video message shared via his Instagram account, Kuti said, “When Fela was the top musician in Nigeria, we were living with about 500 people in our house. All the money I was meant to inherit, Fela used it to cater for people.
“Everyone in Kalakuta was receiving daily allowance and weekly salaries. Both Kalakuta and [African] shrine. Almost 1000 people. They were artisans… We had all the professions in Kalakuta.
“My pocket money in 1990, throughout my primary school was N100 per day. My pocket money a day was bigger than my teacher’s salary.”