Why Fela Kuti married 27 women in one day – Seun Kuti

Afrobeat artiste, Seun Kuti, has shed light on the unconventional mass wedding of his father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the Afrobeats trailblazer, who married 27 women simultaneously in 1978, an act that was considered quite bold at the time.

During an appearance on the 'Fresh Off The Boat' podcast via Skype, Seun Kuti detailed that his father's decision to marry 27 women in a single ceremony was a protective measure against the media's slander, which had labeled his female dancers and band members, who resided with him, as "prostitutes."

He said: “My father was under immense media propaganda. He was very scrutinized. Most of the attacks were directed at 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.