Why Is Fela So Respected Despite His Shortcomings?

Just a view, Fela Kuti the Afrobeat music legend lived with many reprehensible habits despicable even to the traditional African norms which he extolled in his songs and also to the western values and religion which he conversely criticized.

For instance, Fela had multiple sex partners who he dubbed his wives. He smoked weed in unimaginable proportions and declared free sex and weed so to speak in his shrine.

Good he was an advocate of liberty and good governance which gained him several persecutions in the hands of the Nigerian government and also endeared him to many even outside the shores of Nigeria. He detested religious dogma and neocolonialist tendencies of the West.

I also know legends like Bob Marley and Michael Jackson whose shortcoming are often spoken of
alongside their great deeds and fame but not Fela. Even among the Muslims and Christians which faiths he derided with relish desist from any comment that seems to malign him. Fela once said that white people brought Jesus Christ in order to destroy Africa. I have never seen this being used to even shortcircuit his posthumous accolades. What a man!

Omoyele Sowore in his little struggle has got a lot of backlash even from his kinsmen accusing him of being a political charlatan for speaking from both sides of the mouth, reason they refused to intervene in his cause; he was left to face the music till his American papers and affiliations gained him a resounding freedom from DSS gulag. Nnamdi Kanu also faced a similar fate.

It is true that charismatic leaders’ charisma beclouds the psychie of their followers and admirers but Fela possessed no mere charisma, he was and is an enigma. Charismatic leaders like Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Ahmed Isah which people I am opportune to come in close contact with never wield such height of attributes. They are mere men but Fela had something of a god.

Gani for instance made a regulation for his own funeral and even demonstrated it beyond what may be called a Will; which road map hitherto stands un truncated decades after he was gone. But Fela died and never died!!