Like Afrobeat itself, Fela’s career followed its path rather than one set out by Nigerian tradition. Most importantly, Fela operated without sponsorship from the business community, political parties, or traditional rulers, all of whom would have expected him to return the favor with songs praising their products, their policies, their wisdom, or their families. Every Nigerian bandleader of the time either received such sponsorship or aspired to it. Fela wanted none of it.
Fela Kuti grandchildren: Meet Made Kuti, Rolari Segun, Made Anikulapo Kuti, Ayomide Kuti.
Omoyeni Anikulapo-Kuti, Fela’s eldest child, was born in London in 1961 when Fela was studying at Trinity College of Music. Her mother was Remilekun (Remi) Anikulapo-Kuti, a British-born woman of Nigerian and African American heritage. Yeni is best known today for founding Felabration and co-founding the New Afrika Shrine. But she was a singer and dancer with Fela’s Egypt 80 in the 1980s and with Femi’s The Positive Force in the 1990s.
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo-Kuti was born to Fela and Remi in London in 1962. Remi, Yeni, and Femi accompanied Fela when, after graduating from Trinity College of Music, he returned to Nigeria in 1963. Femi has been putting his spin on Afrobeat since 1986 when he left Fela’s Egypt 80 to form his band, The Positive Force.
Sola, Fela’s second daughter, born in 1963, was also a dancer. Tragically, Sola passed just a few weeks after Fela, aged only 34. and Kunle, the fourth of Fela’s children and born in 1971, is the manager of the Kalakuta Museum. The museum was opened in 2012 largely through the initiative of Kunle’s older sister Yeni and the architect Theo Lawson and gives visitors a unique insight into Fela’s life and work.
Omosalewa Anikulapo-kuti was born in Lagos in 1976. Her mother Adefunmilayo Anikulapo-kuti was a Nursing Sister. Shalewa is a qualified lawyer who works mostly as a DJ, popularly known as DJ SHAARKS. “For me, music is a passion,” says Shalewa, “and, like Fela, I am always glad seeing people happy and dancing. But music is about more than just having a good time.
Oluseun Anikulapo-Kuti was born in born in Lagos in 1983. His mother was Fehintola Anikulapo-Kuti, a dancer with Afrika 70 and Egypt 80, who Fela married in 1978. Seun began appearing onstage with Egypt 80 when he was eight years old. After Fela passed, Seun became the band’s leader. “I didn’t save Fela’s band,” says Seun. “I just kept it going.
Omorinmade Anikulapo-Kuti is Femi’s son and with him, the musical lineage Fela began reaches the third generation. Like Fela, Made studied music in London at Trinity Laban. He has performed with Femi’s The Positive Force on and off since he was eight. He plays trumpet, saxophone, bass, keyboards, and drums and describes himself as a multi-instrumentalist composer.
