Why Fela married 27 women in one day – Seun Kuti

Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has revealed why his late father and the pioneer of Afrobeats, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, married 27 women in one day.

Fela got married to 27 women in one day back in 1978 in what was seen as a very daring move.

Appearing on the ‘Fresh Off The Boat’ podcast via Skype, Seun Kuti explained that his father married 27 women in one day in a bid to preserve their honour and dignity as the media was already tagging his female dancers and band members living with him as “prostitutes.”

He said: “My father was under immense media propaganda. He was very scrutinised. And most of it were directed to the women that were in his life; his female back-up singers, dancers. They all lived together with my dad but the media started calling them prostitutes.

“So, my dad, in order to preserve their honour and dignity, asked them if they would choose to be his brides so nobody would call them names anymore and they all agreed. That was how the marriage happened.”

He also disclosed that Fela’s biopic is already in the works.