Segun Arinze-'Fela was a prophet that was not respected at home', says actor

Nollywood actor Segun Arinze says Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, never got the respect he deserved in Nigeria.

According to him, the late Afrobeat icon was a prophet whose works encouraged other musicians in Nigeria to pass positive messages through music.

play Segun Arinze has featured in movies such as "Silent Night", "Across the Niger", "Family on Fire" and "Black Arrow".
(360 Nobs)

In an interview with the NAN on Wednesday, August 2, 2017, Arinze said the issues Fela addressed in his works were still relevant.

“He is a great icon and till date, his music still stands relevant. Most of those things he said in all his songs are prevalent till date. He was like a prophet but as the saying goes, a ‘prophet is not respected in his home town’, which is exactly what played out in his life.

We still keep hope that the society will continue to imbibe the messages he left behind for the much-needed change to come.”

play Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
(Instagram/Femi Kuti)

Arinze also described Fela as a great artiste who understood how to use music to pass on messages. He said Fela started passing messages before other activists started using music to propagate worthy and good causes.

“And of course, he was being recognised by the government, people and the society; Fela was great, we can never forget him in Nigeria, Africa and the world stage. It even got to a level of staging a play in his honour, Fela on Broadway; what else can you ask for?” he asked.

Fela was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, composer, pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre, human rights activist, pan-Africanist, polygamist, mystic, legend and political maverick.