Federal Government to apologise to his family for the death of his
grandmother, Funmilayo Kuti, before putting her picture on the
proposed N5000 note.
Let's go back in time; it's February 1978, and Nigeria is being ruled
by the military, led by General Olusegun Obasanjo. One of the most
influential women in the country, Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti is resting
in her Surulere abode, where two of her sons – Doctor Beko Ransome
Kuti and musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti also call home. Her house is
then invaded by a thousand unknown soldiers who attack and brutalise
Beko and Fela, vandalize property, including Beko's hospital, but in
the worst of atrocities, allegedly throw Olufunmilayo from the second
floor of her house to the ground.
The first woman in Nigeria to drive a car and to ride a bike; a woman
often regarded as 'The mother of Africa' slips into a coma and in
April that year, dies from the injuries sustained.
Fast forward to 2012; Goodluck Jonathan is President. The Federal
Government have announced a proposed N5000 note to be printed and
circulated in the country. The have also announced that they are
considering putting Funmilayo Kuti's picture on the note. Her four
children – Olikoye, Beko, Fela and Dolupo, who protested her death
back then are all dead, but one of her grandsons' Seun Kuti isn't
taking the news lying down.
In an interview with Channels TV, Seun, son of the late great Afrobeat
legend Fela Kuti has rejected the consideration and accused the
Federal government of killing his grandmother.
'She was murdered by the Federal Government, her house was burnt down
on that same day, two of her children were brutalised, almost killed
on that same day and the family have not receive any apology or
compensation, most especially justice for such atrocity.'
Seun, an Afrobeat musician himself, is asking for not just an apology,
but for someone to be held responsible for the February '78 attack
which resulted in the death of his grandmother.
'First, the Federal Government has to accept that they were the cause
of her death. The official statement that they are still giving us is
that she was murdered by 1,000 unknown soldiers who stormed the
Kalakuta Republic'.
Social network campaigns have been put in gear, with family, fans and
friends of the Kutis. On Facebook an 'I Hate the New 5000 Naira Note'
group was opened. On micro-blogging site Twitter, popular
singer-producer Tha Suspect who is also an 'advocate of the masses'
said 'Elder Funmilayo Kuti On The #5,000 Note?? Plenty Apologies Go
First Take Place but Shame go Gree Govt?'
Seun Kuti is not just advocating for the FG not to use his
grandmother's picture. From his tweets, we see he wants the N5000 not
to be printed at all. Seun also seems to be ready for whatever, as he
has also indicated that he will 'take it to the streets for them' if
the idea is not nipped in the bud.
'If it's goin to require us taking to d streets for 'them' to listen,
then AM READY! Nigerians RISE; & say NO to d obnoxious N5,000 note!'
@realsuenkuti tweeted.
The bill to print the money has already been approved by the Federal
Executive Council, which President Goodluck Jonathan heads, and has
been passed on to the House of Senate. It might be a matter of days
before the CBN governor Sanusi Lamido is given the go ahead to
commence printing. The FG is however yet to respond to his (Seun Kuti)
request, neither have they apologized.
And the question of what the other descendants think about the whole
matter arises – the most notable being the revered saxophonist Femi
Kuti and elder sister Yeni Kuti. Femi 50, and Yeni, 51 who have stayed
very close to each other over the years seem to be more interested in
honouring their late father Fela by completing the much talked about
FELA Museum.
As reported earlier, Fela's Kalakuta Republik has received a complete
overhaul and is being transformed into a Fela-inspired Historic house
museum. Renovations are still on-going and recently, his son Femi paid
a visit to the house.