Fela Kuti was admitted into music school out of pity – Daughter, Yeni Kuti

Yeni Kuti, media personality and daughter of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has revealed that her father was admitted into music school out of pity.

Speaking on a recent episode of the TVC programme Your View, Yeni explained that Fela, who struggled academically compared to his siblings, was nearly rejected by Trinity College of Music in London due to poor grades.

“When he got to the music school, the admission officer said, ‘It’s only because you’ve come a long distance that I’m going to allow you into this school with these results,’” she said.

She added that Fela’s siblings deceived their parents by claiming he had been admitted to medical school, just to ensure he could travel to London.

“They later enrolled him in musical school because by that time Fela was playing the piano… That was how he even got the music school out of pity. But look at it today, he is a legend.”

Fela was admitted into Trinity College of Music in 1958.