Seun Kuti has claimed that his father, Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti, might still be alive if he had controlled his wives' relationships more strictly. Speaking during an Instagram livestream, Seun responded to criticism from a woman who questioned Fela's legacy, arguing that one of his wives infected him with HIV. Fela Kuti died in 1997 at the age of 58. Seun did not name the wife or provide medical evidence to support the claim. The musician also defended his father's lifestyle, stating that Fela believed in free love and lived by those principles. The comments have reignited debate over Fela's personal life and public legacy.
Seun Kuti's assertion that a wife transmitted HIV to Fela shifts blame onto women without substantiating how the infection occurred. Fela's 1997 death predates Nigeria's widespread HIV awareness and treatment campaigns. Placing responsibility on one woman oversimplifies a complex health and social issue. For Nigerians, this narrative risks reinforcing stigma rather than fostering understanding of HIV's historical context.
