Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, married 27 women on the same day in 1978, a record yet to be broken by any celebrity in Nigeria.
This should not be strange to those who know the life and style of the Nigerian music legend nicknamed Abami Eda (strange creature).
Some reports claimed many of Fela’s band members became homeless after the devastating soldier attack on Fela’s commune (Kalakuta Republic) in 1977. In order to keep them together, Fela decided to do the unusual.
Other reports claimed the music icon decided to make the bold move after rumours began to filter the air that he was holding the women in his band as captives.
The singer, in his usual rebel style was reported to have asked all the ladies in his band if they wanted to marry him, to which 27 of them agreed.
The names of the 27 women are Fehintola Kayode who happens to be Seun Kuti’s mother, Damiregba, Keuwe Oghomienor, Folake Oladeinde, Folake Oladejo, Ronke Edason, Laide, Emaruagheru Osawe, Ihase, Shade Shodeinde, Suru Eriomola, Tejumade Adebiyi, Omolola Osaeti, Tokunbo Akran, Ronke, Adejonwo, Lamiley, Funmilayo, Adunni, Remilekun, Kikelomo, Lara and Bose.
He gave a piece of paper to his female band members requesting the names of those that would like to marry him; the entire twenty-seven female band members put down their names.
After getting their consent, Fela Kuti married the 27 women on 20 February, 1978, at the Parisona Hotel in Anthony, Lagos, with the blessings of twelve Ifa priests. It was alleged that some parents of the ladies objected to the marriage.
Fela married the women to protect and keep them together. The marriage ceremony was attended by Fela’s families, friends and other band members.
During the wedding ceremony, Fela rendered a short speech, pressed naira notes on his new wives’ foreheads and gave them marriage certificates.
After the wedding, it was reported that the Afrobeat legend engaged in a rotation system where he had 12 of them with him at a particular time. After the wedding, he took all 27 of them to Ghana for the honeymoon.
However, in 1986, shortly after his release from prison, Fela Kuti divorced his 27 wives on the claim that marriage brings jealousy. It should be noted that they were not forced to leave his house after the divorce; some lived with him till his death in 1997.
