“Fela More Popular Than Any Nigerian President”

Nigeria Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been adjudged to be more popular than any President in Nigeria’s history.

This is according to Senator Ben Murray-Bruce who described Fela as “the greatest leader to come out of Africa” through his music.

The senator representing Bayelsa east said this in a chat with newsmen during French president, Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.

Murray-Bruce said, “Fela is an icon, the greatest in Africa. Fela is a tourist attraction. More people know Fela than the name of any president in the history of Nigeria. Fela is Mr tourism”.

He noted that Nigeria is “lucky” to have an “incredibly popular, great French leader” like Macron visit the New Afrika Shrine.

While urging leaders to emulate the French President, he questioned why Nigerian and African leaders don’t recognize Fela.

“All leaders should be like him because why should it take Macron to recognise Fela. Why can’t our leaders recognise Fela?” the senator asked.

He called on all previous Nigerian governments to publicly apologise to the Kuti family and compensate them for all that was done against Fela.

“It has to be done because they need to be forgiven for the atrocities they committed,” he said.

“They burnt his house, killed his mother, broke his jaw, threw him in prison. Yes, they need to apologise. They have to acknowledge and then apologise.

“I want them to apologise, then write a cheque to Femi for killing his mother, breaking Fela’s jaw, locking him out,” Murray-Bruce said.