Veteran Nigerian singer Onyeka Onwenu recently shared a story about her encounter with the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, revealing how she had to run away from his proposal of marriage. During an interview on Kadaria Ahmed’s podcast, “Quarter to 12,” the 71-year-old artist recounted her experience.
Onyeka explained that Fela had been arrested for attempting to take money out of the country, which was against the law at the time. The funds in question were earnings from a previous tour, amounting to around 1,000 pounds. Fela’s arrest led to the cancellation of his concert, and he was subsequently jailed. Onyeka, however, voiced her disagreement with his arrest, believing it to be unjust.
It was during this period that Fela developed feelings for Onyeka. After his release from prison, he invited her to his house, fully aware that she would decline his proposal. Onyeka later learned that Fela had even placed a bet with someone, predicting her refusal and saying, “Watch her reaction.”
In February 2022, Onyeka spoke about her past marriage in an interview with media personality Kikilomo Atanda-Owo. She expressed that despite not wanting the marriage to end, she believed that staying in it would have had detrimental effects on her well-being.
These revelations from Onyeka Onwenu offer a glimpse into her personal life and shed light on her interactions with the iconic musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Leave a Reply