Apologise Or Forget Honouring Fela – Femi Kuti Tells Jonathan

Femi Kuti, son of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, says the family will not accept any centenary award in his honour.

In a twitter correspondence with PM News on Tuesday, Femi further disclosed that the family has not yet been officially notified of a centenary award for Fela. He made it clear that the Federal Government should first apologise for the killing of his grandmother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and, burning of Kalakuta Republic before accepting the award.

“We have not heard such but I can speak for myself, FG should first apologise for the killing of our grandmother and burning of Kalakuta,” he wrote. 

Asked if the family will accept the award if the government apologises for the two wrongs mentioned, Femi said, “Like I said, we have not heard anything from the Federal Government. But I doubt if the family will accept the award.” 

For over two decades, Fela sang and protested against anti-people policies of the government. Beginning from the 70s, he was a torn in the flesh of military and civilian administrations in Nigeria.

Fela is to be awarded alongside 99 others as part of the centenary celebration according to a statement released by the Presidential Committee on Nigeria’s Centenary Celebrations. He will be honoured by the FG in the ‘Internationally Acclaimed Artistes, Literary Icons and Journalists’ category.

At the ceremony, President Jonathan would be presenting awards in 13 categories to 100 distinguished personalities, either alive or dead, who eminently symbolised the tapestry of Nigeria’s first centenary.

The award is slated to hold at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, on February 28, 2014.