Femi Kuti, the Grammy-nominated Afrobeat legend and son of the late Fela Aníkúlápó-Kuti, has weighed in on the ongoing online debate comparing his father with contemporary Afrobeats superstar Wizkid, insisting that such discussions are unnecessary and distracting from more urgent national issues.
According to Femi, Fela should not be placed in competition with modern artists because he occupies a unique and untouchable position in Nigeria’s cultural history. He described his father as the musical and artistic template upon which much of today’s Nigerian sound and creative expression has been built, stressing that Fela’s influence transcends generations, genres and commercial eras.
In his words: “The Fela vs Wizkid Controversy is Not an Issue That Should be Brought Up; Fela is the Musical and Artistic Template in Nigeria
“Fela should be put in a sector of his own, being idolised and respected. This matter should not have arisen; we should be focused on how to save Nigeria”.
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Femi further argued that the controversy should never have arisen in the first place, noting that comparing artists from vastly different periods ignores the social, political and artistic contexts in which they worked. While acknowledging the achievements of contemporary stars, he maintained that the conversation should not be framed as a rivalry.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to redirect their attention towards the country’s pressing challenges, saying public discourse would be better spent focusing on how to improve the nation rather than fuelling divisive cultural debates.
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