Today is Femi Kuti’s 58th birthday and I got to talk about family, happiness and the state of Nigeria with him.
Surprisingly reaching him was easy. I called his number and he didn’t pick initially, most likely he was busy accepting birthday wishes. To my surprise, he called me back almost immediately. Even when our wonderful network, I’ll name no names, attempted to disrupt the conversation, he still called me back.
Chatting with one of the greatest living musicians to come out of Africa made me feel a way words cannot describe. I can write up a long list of my friends who would have given an arm to speak with him and here I was, having a casual chat on with the legend on his birthday. It’s even more exciting as he shares the same day with my younger sister, though she is not a music genius.
He was in the middle of telling someone to be careful going out because COVID-19 was outside. I’m not surprised because Femi Kuti is a known advocate for washing hands and social distancing. I expressed my well wishes to him which he was genuinely happy to receive. I asked him how his day was going and he responded that it was a great day.
“I feel great, my family is making me very happy. The children held a mini-concert for me. I was born at 1 pm so they decided to do something for me at that time. I cried a bit. I’ve been receiving a lot of good wishes. Although you know with the whole COVID-19, no one can come to see me because we are practising social distancing.”
For someone who has been playing music since he was 15, it must have been an emotional experience to be gathered with family members and have them perform for him instead. As we spoke, he expressed mixed feelings about the day. Femi Kuti is very outspoken about issues affecting the country and the current state of things saddened him.
“It’s a confusing, strange and difficult time we are in. It’s difficult to be happy when the country is facing so many problems. Look at our poor healthcare system, even now doctors are on strike again. Everything is just so difficult. When I was 11, these are the issues my father sang about. Now I’m 58, it’s still the same issues that we are facing. Nothing has changed. I am happy, but all around me people are still suffering.”
Femi Kuti has been very active in helping people survive this COVID-19 period. The Shrine was closed even before the government safety restrictions were announced. They were responsible for housing and feeding 60 people a day. Nigerian-British boxer Anthony Joshua, who loves the Shrine also helps out with provisions, which Femi Kuti then redistributes to people that live around. He expressed hope for the future and referred to his song “One Day Someday” that hopefully soon everything will be better.
When we spoke on this issue, I too felt sad because my elder sister is a doctor and I know how dangerous it is right now for her. With a lot of Nigerians even choosing to ignore safety regulations, there is a high risk of the lockdown being imposed again and a lot more people falling victim to the virus.
On a lighter note, I asked him if he was craving anything special to eat on his birthday. He said he was no stress as he was an easy eater.
“I can eat almost anything so I have no stress. Although there is always cake. I’m always excited for cake.”
He also said we might get to see a sneak peek of the mini-concerts as one of his children would post it, and they would be holding another concert for him later in the evening.
Speaking with the man who has established a legacy for himself outside of his father’s massive legacy, which in itself is a mighty feat, was outstanding. Humble, softspoken and empathic, I could hear the genuine sorrow he felt about the state of the country and what people were facing. With over 10 albums to his name, including live albums, Femi Kuti is an Afrobeat icon and a musical force to be reckoned with.
Family has always played a huge part in Femi Kuti’s life. Femi Kuti began his musical career playing in his father’s band, Egypt 80. Now his children have followed in his musical footsteps, especially his son, Made who joined his band, Positive Force in 2014. In an interview with The Netng in 2017, he spoke on how family was everything to him and it is evident they still are. “My children can make me melt not just laugh. Anything, my children are everything to me.”