By Adegboyega Adeleye
Yeni Kuti, the eldest daughter of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has reacted to the ongoing online feud between her brother, Seun and music superstar Wizkid.
Recall that the dispute began last week after Seun Kuti accused Wizkid’s fanbase, popularly known as Wizkid FC, of disrespecting his father’s legacy by comparing Fela to the Grammy award-winning star.
Consequently, the feud escalated on Tuesday when Seun dared Wizkid to prove he truly cared for his fans by protecting them from him.
In an ugly turn of events, Wizkid took to his Instagram story, breaking the silence in solidarity with his fans, where he appeared to vent his anger at Seun through a series of posts.
Wizkid then went further by directly attacking Seun in a string of blunt posts, in which he declared himself greater than Fela and insulted the Afrobeat singer.
The reaction by the 35-year-old led to public debate on Wizkid and Fela’s legacy and influence, sparking mixed reactions among Nigerian celebrities.
However, amid the ongoing controversy, Yeni Kuti, speaking on the ‘Your View’ program on TVC, on Thursday, said she refused to involve herself in the fight with Wizkid because the singer is her friend and she loves him a lot.
Speaking about Wizkid’s longtime relationship with Fela’s family, Yeni further urged the public to unite and celebrate Fela at this year’s Grammy Awards.
Yeni said, “I love Wizkid a lot. You know, Wizkid is my padi now. When two giants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. I refuse to enter some of the insults that they are hauling because I love Wizkid a lot. Wizkid is my padi now and my so friend. We have come a long way together. I remember when we started that shrine, he was a backup singer and the shrine during Felabration.”
“So, there’s no way I can ever no like Wizkid. I like him and I wish at the beginning, he had quickly put a stop to it but he didn’t. Let’s mend fences , we are one people. We’re just about to go and celebrate our icon at the Grammy and you’re all doing as if you are trying to dent it. It’s not Fela or Fela family that you are denting, it’s all Nigeria. Did you Bob Marley people do that? They don’t do that.”
“Whichever way you look at it, this one is bigger than Fela, that one is bigger than Fela. He started the genre of music, he’s an icon, and so if you have problems, why are you attacking him? He has done his own, he has gone. What people don’t understand is Fela has been dead for 27 years. And you are still mentioning his name. That’s just answer to his greatness. So let’s just respect that. Fight yourselves you that are alive and leave the man that has done his own and gone, she added.”
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