Grammy-nominated Afrobeat musician, Made Kuti, has revealed why he is hesitant to fully engage in activism and the fight for better governance in Nigeria, despite his family’s rich history of political and social advocacy.
In a candid conversation during a recent episode of the Breakdown podcast, the grandson of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti admitted that the longstanding activism of his lineage has left him disillusioned, questioning the impact and personal cost of such sacrifices.
“A lot of people, including myself, we act on our feelings. When you look at Nigeria and you see how many years Fela fought. My Dad [Femi Kuti] fought. Uncle Seun [Seun Kuti] is speaking out now. Everybody [in my family]. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti; they threw her from a story building. She was a righteous person that was so dedicated to the growth of Africa. She risked her life for everything. They killed her for it,” he said.
Reflecting on the sacrifices made by his great-grandmother, Nigeria’s first female activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, his grandfather Fela, his father Femi, and uncle Seun Kuti, Made said the family’s commitment to advocacy has come at great personal cost, often with little societal progress to show for it.
“You might reflect and just say, ‘Well, what’s the point of it [fighting for better governance] if all these people couldn’t bring change? What’s the chance that my song or my performance can really bring change?’” he pondered.
Despite this, the 28-year-old musician emphasized that change is possible through collective action rather than the efforts of a single individual. “I truly believe that it’s not so much in the power of the individual, it’s the power of the collective. I believe that it’s when the right amount of people at the right time do the right thing—that’s what can create the spark for change.”
He further added that while he wants to contribute positively to Nigeria’s future, he is not interested in paying the same steep price his forebears did. “Selflessness, I’m very careful with that. Giving and getting nothing in return. I’m of the opinion that we [the Kuti family] have done enough already. And I’ve really no interest in activism. I’m happy to be at the right side of history, but not at the cost of the wellbeing of my family and the people around me.”
Made concluded by noting that his goal is to live a purposeful life and raise a family with a clear conscience, stating, “I want to have children and I want to be able to look them in the eyes and say, ‘I did my best.’”
The remarks have sparked conversations online about the generational cost of activism and whether systemic change in Nigeria can still be achieved through artistic and civic resistance.
