Grammy-nominated Afrobeat artist Made Kuti has opened up about his hesitation to actively engage in the fight for improved governance in Nigeria.
During a recent appearance on the Breakdown podcast, Made reflected on the long-standing activism of his family—his great-grandmother Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, legendary grandfather Fela Kuti, father Femi Kuti, and uncle Seun Kuti—saying their relentless sacrifices have not brought about the change they hoped for.
While he expressed pride in standing on the right side of history, Made made it clear that he isn’t willing to continue that struggle if it comes at the expense of his loved ones.
He emphasized that his family has already given so much to the country, adding that meaningful change requires collective action from the entire population—not just the efforts of a few individuals.
Speaking in a recent episode of the ‘Breadown’ podcast, Kuti said,
“A lot of people, including myself, we act on our feelings. When you look at Nigeria and you see how many years Fela fought. My Dad [Femi Kuti] fought. Uncle Seun [Seun Kuti] is speaking out now. Everybody [in my family]. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti; they threw her from a story building. She was a righteous person that was so dedicated to the growth of Africa. She risked her life for everything. They killed her for it.
“You might reflect and just say, ‘Well, what’s the point of it [fighting for better governance] if all these people couldn’t bring change? What’s the chance that my song or my performance can really bring change?’
“But, I truly that it’s not so much in the power of the individual, it’s the power of the collective. I believe that it’s when the right amount of people at the right time do the right thing that’s what can create the spark for change. But whether or not, it will be in my lifetime, I don’t know. I’m not an idealist. But I do believe that everybody has to play a part for the country to be better. We cannot keep expecting what we didn’t deliver. For me, I play my part. I want to live my life knowing that I do what I have to do. Because I want to have children and I want to be able to look them in the eyes and said, ‘I did my best…
“Selflessness, I’m very careful with that. Giving and getting nothing in return. I’m of the opinion that we [Kuti’s family] have done enough already. And I’ve really no interest in activism. I’m happy to be at the right side of history, but not at the cost of the wellbeing of my family and the people around me.”