By Charles Pemu 
Yeni Kuti, daughter of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has shared a revealing story about how the late music legend’s journey into music school began under unusual circumstances and against his parents’ wishes.
Speaking during a recent interview, Yeni recounted how Fela was an average student growing up, especially when compared to his younger brother, who excelled academically. Their parents, she said, had originally opposed the idea of Fela studying abroad due to his academic performance.
“It was him and his younger brother who were with their parents at that time. His younger brother had excellent grades, but Fela was very average,” Yeni said. “So, his parents didn’t want him to go abroad for studies.”
According to her, it was Fela’s younger brother who insisted on having him in London and convinced their parents by falsely claiming that Fela was heading there to study medicine.
“They lied to their parents that Fela was going to a medical school. That was how he got to England,” Yeni revealed.
However, instead of enrolling in medical school, Fela pursued his growing passion for music. At the time, he was already playing the piano and had developed an interest in the art.
“They enrolled him in music school,” Yeni continued. “When he got to the music school, the admission officer said, ‘It’s only because you’ve come a long distance that I’m going to allow you into this school with these results.’”
She added, “That was how Fela even got into the music school — out of pity. But look at it today, he is a legend.”
Fela Kuti went on to become a global music icon and the founder of the Afrobeat genre, known not only for his innovative sound but also for his fearless activism and critique of political corruption and social injustice in Nigeria and beyond.
Fela’s story continues to inspire generations of musicians and activists, proving that greatness often emerges from unconventional beginnings.