Femi Kuti Recounts How Soldiers Burnt Fela’s House 45 Years Ago

 

Femi Kuti, one of the sons of late famed Afrobeat musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has reminisced about the army torching Fela’s home in 1977.

On his Instagram page, the Afrobeat artist uploaded the cover page of The PUNCH from that day, 45 years ago.

He captioned the photo, “TODAY IN HISTORY: 18TH FEBRUARY 1977: GOVERNMENT BURNT FELA’S HOUSE. WE SHALL NEVER FORGET. #YeniAKuti #bigbirdkuti #madekuti.”

Femi also recounted how the soldiers threw his grandmother, Madam Funmilayo Ransome Kuti out of the window.

“On that day, Fela’s mother, our grandma was thrown out of the window from the first floor, she died a year later from injuries, she sustained and never recovered from,” he concluded.

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Meanwhile, Femi Kuti has declared his desire to be cremated after his death.

Femi said this during a concert at the New Afrika Shrine last Sunday, according to The Nation.

Femi Kuti stated that he did not want a noisy burial ceremony, but rather cremation following a private funeral attended by his family and friends.

According to sources, Femi’s younger sister Sola Kuti, who died in 1997 soon after their father Fela Kuti, was cremated in Lagos.

Cremation is a method of the final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In modern times, cremation is commonly carried out with a closed furnace (cremator), at a crematorium. Cremation leaves behind an average of 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) of remains known as “ashes” or “cremains” (wikipedia)

“When I die, please cremate me, burn my body. It is the most hygienic way,” he said..

Femi also urged his audience to examine what occurs to bodies buried in Lagos cemeteries.