Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has revealed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was his political mentor while growing up.
The late afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti’s son claimed that individuals such as the previous governor of Lagos State taught him a lot of the concepts he knows today.
Seun revealed this information regarding his connection with the president in a recent interview with well-known journalist Chude Jideonwo.
As a prominent figure in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which battled for Nigeria’s democracy after the military cancelled the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the singer claimed to have drawn inspiration from Tinubu.
Seun Kuti claims that while he is not politically connected to President Tinubu, whom he called an uncle, they had been friends for a long time.
He said;
“My relationship with President Tinubu on a personal level is very robust. I grew up knowing him as an uncle. He was a very good friend of uncle Beko [Kuti]. He was a political mentor to me growing up as a child.
Many of the ideas that I understand today, it was these men that taught me as a child growing up. Knowing them fighting for democracy in this country with NADECO, even when he [Tinubu] went on exile… Wale Soyinka, uncle Beko, Asiwaju, these were the men who fought for our democracy.
During Tinubu’s first term as Governor of Lagos State, I performed at all his rallies. I’ve always been close to him personally. But I don’t have any political relationship with him. And even at that, I don’t think it’s anybody’s business. I’ve not been to his house in years except when I need to see him for national issues.
So, these things that people say are just to tarnish your image. They make it seem like everybody must be paid for what they’re saying. No, no, no. What’s the truth is the truth. And I say it regardless of fear or favour of anybody.”
