Seun Kuti, Aisha Yesufu trade insults over women’s freedom

Seun Kuti, the Afrobeat singer, and Aisha Yesufu, the activist, were locked in a heated war of words on social media over women’s liberation.

On Thursday, Seun recounted a disagreement with Yesufu during a TV show, where he criticised her stance on women’s freedom.

He condemned Yesufu for promoting the liberation of Nigerian women while wearing a hijab, and suggested that she first “liberate herself” from it.

Seun argued that embracing Christian or Muslim practices leads to abandoning African identity.

“It is the Africanness in us that is helping your European behaviour. Na wetin make me and Aisha Yesufu get an argument for TV, she wan dey talk anyhow, I told her father off,” he said.

“Once you are a Christian and a Muslim, you have abandoned Africanness. That one tied hijab say e wan liberate Nigerian women. Mherfker liberate yourself from your Hijab first.”

Yesufu fired back via X on Friday, accusing Seun of trying to boost his relevance by targeting her.

She also took a swipe at Fela Kuti, Seun’s late father, arguing that if the Afrobeat legend had practiced more sexual restraint, she would not have had to deal with Seun’s behaviour.

“Seun Kuti @RealSeunKuti wants to trend with my name as his karaoke business no make am blow alongside those wey dey do music,” she wrote.

“I don’t blame him sha! If only his father had discipline over his loin we would not be dealing with the consequence of that lack of discipline!

“Person wey people dey book im show because dem wan see a caricature of his father even if they can’t have the real thing.