October 31, (THEWILL) – Legendary Afrobeat singer, Femi Kuti, has revealed the ordeal he went through for being Fela’s son.
He made this revelation in an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo. According to him, his upbringing was a tough one.
Kuti revealed that both teachers and colleagues were hostile to him because of their hatred for his father’s personality.
“I’ve had low points. Don’t forget that the beatings of my father started when I was a teenager.
“Seeing him in prison, seeing his head broken, the blood on him. The school was depressing because you had both teachers that liked and didn’t like him.
“If I got in trouble with the one who didn’t like him, they beat me just because they didn’t like my father. If I don’t understand what you’re teaching, are you supposed to beat me? They had a vendetta against my father.
“They didn’t like me because I was Fela’s son. They’d say, ‘your father is smoking igbo.’ I would retaliate with an insult too. So we would end up on the field fighting. I was always fighting.”
Femi also revealed that the death of his parents and his tough life shaped him to become a better person.
“If I didn’t go through those moments, I’d probably not know what to do with my life. I’ve experienced death. The passing of my mother was the worst. She was my pillar. I was lost until like three-four years ago,” he said.
“I would still wake up wanting to say good morning. I didn’t cry because I was expected to be the man. Then my wife goes and they wrote that Femi is going mad. It was a terrible moment that made me a better person”, he stated.
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