Seun Kuti Explains Fela's Marital Views, Suggests Polygamy Led to HIV Diagnosis

Seun Kuti has asserted that his father, the iconic Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, did not enforce strict fidelity among his many wives, a common expectation in polygamous unions.

During an Instagram live session, the musician addressed a comment from a woman who questioned Fela's legacy, alleging he infected women with HIV and later succumbed to AIDS.

Seun Kuti presented a differing perspective, suggesting that Fela was not the source of the virus's spread among his wives. Instead, he posited that one of the wives contracted the illness and subsequently transmitted it to his father.

He further remarked that Fela's greatest misstep was not adhering to traditional customs that would have required his wives to remain exclusively with him.

"Fela made many mistakes. One of the mistakes he made - one day, I saw a video of a lady online saying why are people praising Fela’s legacy despite him giving women HIV and dying of AIDS," Seun stated.

He continued, "I said, ‘Oh, Fela you see yourself?’ If Fela was a traditional man, he would still be alive. I will tell you something about him that you might not have known, Fela’s women all had other men."

Seun elaborated on his father's philosophy: "Fela did not keep his women to himself. He believed that as he is free to sleep with all the women, the women are also free to meet other men. His law was that they shouldn’t bring the men to his house."

"My father doesn’t leave his house to sleep with other women outside, so it was his women who brought HIV home to him. Nobody is perfect. Everybody make mistakes. But Fela is a man that is on the side of humanity,” he concluded.

A video of the discussion was also shared.