Nigerian singer Femi Kuti has reflected on his childhood with his father, the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, saying he grew up without direct guidance and had to learn by observing.
He spoke at the Ake Arts and Books Festival in Lagos, where he described his upbringing as unusual.
According to him, there were no formal lessons at home, yet his father expected him to know things on his own.
He recalled how he was pushed to read and understand many things even though he had not been taught in the usual way.
Femi explained that the normal father-son bond did not exist in their home.
He said Fela demanded excellence from everyone around him, adding that failure was not an option, and excuses were not accepted.
Femi said this made him rely heavily on watching his father’s actions and learning from daily experiences.
He said his understanding of life came from seeing how his father handled danger, police raids, and other challenges.
He often asked questions about fear and survival, and those moments shaped his thinking more than any classroom could.
Femi also said that poor school results never brought anger from Fela.
Instead, Fela reacted in a confusing way that made him question what was really expected of him as a child.
He linked these experiences to his desire to stand on his own.
He recalled how he left Fela’s band years ago to build his identity and follow his own path in music.
He said he believed he was meant to be Femi, not a copy of his father.
Femi also shared that when he released his first album, Fela dismissed it, but he continued to work, grow, and create a career that reflects his own sound and journey.
He said: “He (Fela) expected me to know how to read. How is it possible to know how to read if I am not taught? If I haven’t got any formal education of any sort, how can I read? But I had to read. ‘You should know,’ he would say. ‘Did you take your brain and put it in my head?’
“If you are Fela’s person you had to excel beyond reasonable doubt. You just had to know. So you couldn’t give excuses.
“I learnt by just watching him. I would ask questions probably like ‘Are you not afraid to die?’ He would give me his answer.
“And as I was growing up I would say ‘what’s wrong?’ … but if I failed… Fela would say, ‘Ah you failed, well done.’
“If God wanted me to be Fela, I would have been Fela. I had to be Femi Kuti.”
