Nigerian singer and son of Afrobeats pioneer Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, has recounted how some people predicted the deaths of 12 of his family members in quick succession following the passing of his father.
Femi revealed that this prediction emerged after the tragic loss of his sister, Shola Kuti, and a cousin within a short span of time.
He shared this during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, adding that the period was particularly difficult for him.
As the first son of the family, Femi noted that many people encouraged him to remain strong amidst the turmoil.
However, the situation took a turn for the worse when his wife, Funke, left him in the midst of the crisis, and at that point, people believed he was on the verge of losing his sanity.
“Fela had just passed away. My sister, Shola, had passed away. My cousin had passed away. Some people were predicting that 12 of us would die. I wondered if this prediction would come true,” Femi said.
“We had our own internal family issues. They would say, ‘You’re the first son; you have to handle it.’ And I would ask, ‘Who put me in the middle of this trouble?’ Then my wife left me, and they said, ‘Femi is going mad.’ It was a terrible time,” he added.
Despite the hardships, Femi acknowledged that he is grateful for the experience as it played a significant role in shaping him into the person he is today.
