Nigerian Afrobeat instrumentalist and vocalist Made Kuti, grandson of the iconic music legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has publicly addressed the backlash he received over his marriage to Inedoye Onyenso.
In November 2023, the couple officially tied the knot in a private civil wedding ceremony in Lagos. However, their union has since become a target for online criticism from individuals who have accused them of "mixing blood" because of their different ethnic backgrounds—Made being Yoruba and Inedoye being Igbo.
The controversy escalated when an X user, @AdemolaOgudu, posted a derogatory comment, calling the singer a "foolish Yoruba man" for marrying an Igbo woman.
A Strong Stance Against Ethnic Division
In a powerful response on his social media account, Made Kuti condemned the hateful comments, stating that the belief in ethnic superiority or inferiority is nothing more than a "slave mentality." He stressed that such divisive thinking prevents progress and unity.
He urged his critics to educate themselves on the history and teachings of great Pan-Africanists, including his great-grandmother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, his grandfather Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, as well as other revolutionary leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Thomas Sankara. According to Kuti, these figures understood that Africa's true strength lies in its unity, not its divisions.
Made Kuti's message reinforced the idea that for the continent to achieve meaningful progress, its people must rise above tribalism and embrace a collective identity rooted in Pan-Africanist ideals.
