Seun Kuti Explains Why Fela Married 27 Women in a Single Day

Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has revealed why his late father, the pioneer of the Afrobeats genre, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, married 27 women in one day.

In 1978, Fela, in what was seen as a very daring move, married 27 women in one day.

Speaking on the controversy, Seun, during an interview on the ‘Fresh Off The Boat’ podcast via Skype, said his late father was always involved in media propaganda.

According to the singer, the media was already tagging Fela’s female dancers and band members living with him as prostitutes.

Seun Kuti further explained that his father married the 27 women in one day in a bid to preserve their honour and dignity.

He said: “My father was under immense media propaganda. He was very scrutinised. And most of it were directed to the women that were in his life; his female back-up singers, dancers. They all lived together with my dad but the media started calling them prostitutes.

“So my dad, in order to preserve their honour and dignity, asked them if they would choose to be his brides so nobody would call them names anymore and they all agreed. That was how the marriage happened.”

Seun also disclosed that Fela’s biopic is already being worked on.