Legendary Afrobeat musician, Fela Kuti married 27

Legendary Afrobeat musician, Fela Kuti married 27 of his backup dancers in one day, after he had asked all the ladies in his band if they wanted to marry him.

When all 27 of them agreed to be his wives, Fela called 12 traditional priests to preside over the wedding ceremony which took place at a hotel in Lagos, Nigeria on the 20th of February 1978.

For honeymoon, Fela took all his 27 wives to Ghana.

However, eight years later in 1986, the late Fela divorced all of them at the same time with the claim that; "Marriage brings jealousy and
selfishness"

Fela Kuti is said to have married a total of 27 women, the majority of whom he eventually divorced. They all lived with him in his ‘Kalakuta Republic,’ which was shaped like a little village. 

In 1960, while still a student at Trinity College of Music in London, Fela Kuti married his first wife, Remilekun Taylor. 

In 1978, the legendary Afrobeat artist married 27 different women in a traditional wedding. Many of the ladies he married worked with him as dancers, songwriters, and singers.

Moore Carlos, the author of Fela Anikulapo-authorized Kuti’s biography, “Fela: This Bitch of A Lives,” has provided a glimpse into the life and times of Nigeria’s Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. 

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti discussed what drew him to his 27 wives in the 23-chapter biography.

“What drew me to each of them?” Fela explained. Sex! They were sexy and f**kable in my opinion. That’s the first thing that draws me to a woman. Some people showed up at my place on their own. I had come to help the others. I wanted to f**k them, that’s why. That was all there was to it. I wanted a place where I could f**k about, and I got one. However, it evolved into something else after that. Something unique. 

“However, it all started with sex.” The desire to f**k with someone. The most important thing in a human being is sexual orgasm, a life-giving and delightful sensation. And that’s what’s getting the most flak. Yeah.

Someone asked me if I felt sex was politics as I was trying to write down my thoughts.” 

“No, I don’t,” I stated emphatically. ‘Sex is life,’ they say. That is my opinion. I, on the other hand, f**k as often and as long as I can-o! It’s no longer even a question of choice. I understood what I was doing when I married twenty-seven women-o! Did I spend the night before the wedding with all of them? No. Man, I said I married a twenty-seven-year-old, not a seven-year-old! Only one of them slept with me. After that, it’s your turn. I went about my business as usual. ‘Look, when I marry you, I’m going to do the same thing I did with you previously,’ I informed them before I married them. It’s going to be epic.

It’ll be the same house, the same thing, except we’ll be married.” 

“Having sex must be a proud and joyful activity,” Fela continues. ‘Last night I had a fantastic f**k!’ people should be proud to say. ‘I’m having sex-o, but I’m unhappy,’ there’s nothing to say. 

Sex is unadulterated. However, by introducing human laws, it becomes ‘dirty.’ Sex is a source of life. Sex is a wonderful thing! Pleasure! Happiness! To f**k with it! Man, that’s one of the most crucial things in life.”

Full list of Fela’s wives

Remilekun Taylor (first wife)

Kikelomo Oseyni

Folake Oladejo

Tejumade Adebiyi

Naa Lamiley

Sewaa Kuti

Omotola Osaeti

Omowunmi Oyedele

Alake Anikulapo Kuti

Shade Shodeinde

Adeola Williams

Najite Kuti

Emaruagheru Osawe

Kevwe Oghomienor

Ihase Anikulapo

Adejonwo Iyabode Ogunitro

Bose Anikulapo Kuti

Lara Anikulapo Kuti

Suru Eriomola

Tokunbo Akran

Funmi Kuti

Kuti Omowunmi Afesumo

Laide Anikulapo Kuti

Ronke Edason

Damiregba Anikulapo Kuti

Adunni Idowu

Omolara Shosanya