LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- In a biting critique of Nigeria’s celebrity landscape, veteran author Tunde Odesola, has compared the toxic rivalry between Wizkid and Seun Kuti to the ancient Yoruba tragedy of Àkèré, a prince in an Ọ̀yọ́ village called Ìkẹyọ̀.
Drawing on the myth of the prince to whom the god of divination, Ifa, foretold a triple prophecy of wealth, fatherhood, and kingship, Odesola narrates how in a single day, Àkèré discovered a treasure of cowries, welcomed a new child, and was named king-elect.
However, consumed by the euphoria of his “celebrity” status, Àkèré leapt so wildly in dance that he crashed, shattering his thighbones and rendering himself ineligible for the throne.
The author directs his focus toward the digital storm ignited when Wizkid FC, largely comprised of Gen Z supporters compared their idol to the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. This comparison was deemed “disrespectful” by Seun Kuti, who went ahead to call Wizkid out directly, sparking a toxic back-and-forth.
Odesola observes that, much like the mythical prince, today’s stars risk being “destroyed by their destinies” through pride and entitlement, especially after Wizkid responded to Seun, saying, “Oya, I big pass your papa, wetin you wan do?”
He warns that the current “vacuous brouhaha” involving Wizkid, his fanatic “FC” fanbase, and Seun Kuti mirrors the tragic fall of a prince who allowed the intoxication of success to shatter his destiny.
According to him, Gen Z is often misunderstood as “lazy,” and their online boldness is frequently devolved into a “currency of rudeness.”
Warning that today’s stars are growing “drunk on entitlement,” risking a similar fall from the heights of their success, the author argues that being self-driven does not excuse the sheep-like “bleating” seen in the fanatical defense of the “Big Three”, Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy.
READ ALSO: Saudi Arabia Introduces Official Camel Passports For Kingdom’s Prized Herds
This ego war was only de-escalated after Femi Kuti intervened with a reality check, revealing that Wizkid actually performs for free at Felabration every year. Odesola suggests that Seun, as a millennial, aka Gen Y, should have known better than to engage with “online warriors” sworn to provocation. By engaging in this friction, Odesola contends that both the artists and their fans are behaving like Àkèré, forgetting that “a smooth road is often the slipperiest.”
The author channels the wisdom of Mark Twain to describe the fanatical noise, stating, “Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she laid an asteroid.” Odesola suggests that this hidden bond makes the public hostility even more senseless, as both sides behave like the mythical prince, forgetting that the dance ends the moment the dancer falls.
Ultimately, Odesola maintains that while destiny may be unstoppable, it remains “destroyable” through a lack of restraint.
He closed with a testimony of Fela’s genius given by veteran music producer Odion Iruoje, who gave Fela his big break. Iruoje testified to the pioneer’s singular mastery, noting that Fela succeeded by creating a completely new sound he christened Afrobeat.
Unlike the manufactured “gimmicks” of today’s industry, Iruoje recalls that Fela’s artistry was a raw force that didn’t rely on global record label machinations to survive.
By highlighting this gap between modern “monotonous” trends and Fela’s original “flavour,” Iruoje’s testimony suggests that today’s stars must focus on true creative distinctiveness rather than relying on fanatical fanbases to sustain their legacies.
In Odesola’s words, “In sold-out arenas, a Wizkid miming to his songs would send fans into delirium. Fela Kuti never mimed to his songs. Fela was live. Good music never dies. Fela forever.”
