Afrobeat star Femi Kuti has raised an alarm, saying some fans of Peter Obi – the Labour Party’s presidential candidate – have threatened him and his family, including to burn down the New Afrika Shrine, an open-air entertainment ground in Ikeja, Lagos, established by his late father, Fela, the originator of afrobeat music genre who died in 1997.
The threats came as a result of Kuti supposedly referring to Obi’s followers as zombies during a musical performance at the New Afrika Shrine Thursday night.
Following the backlash the comment generated, Kuti issued a statement saying he was quoted out of context.
That failed to appease the Obi diehards, apparently, prompting Kuti to take to social media to raise an alarm.
In a video posted on Twitter, the singer said he and his family members as well their businesses were being threatened by “Obidients.”
Kuti said: “I woke up today to insults, abusing me, my family, and my children. They threatened me saying they would burn the shrine because they said I said Peter Obi supporters are Zombies.
“First, what I said was that I was too angry, sad, and depressed to be obedient. How can anybody come up with such a term? I can’t be obedient. Enders, killings. My grandmother was killed and my father’s house burned.
“The oppression of my family. Obedient is sitting when you’re told to sit. I said Obi was friends with Atiku, becoming his vice president. If they had won, they’d be pals by now. I didn’t call Peter Obi supporters Zombies.”
Kuti dissociated himself from the political campaign coinage “Obedient,” adding that he’s maintaining political neutrality.
“I don’t like the [campaign coinage] Obi-dient. I don’t support Obi, Atiku Abibakar, and Bola Tinubu. I’ve never supported any political party.
“My family is already heartbroken. If Obi wins and things change, we will all jubilate. But who are you to tell me not to have my doubts? Don’t come threatening me saying you’d burn the shrine. Stop that rubbish.
“Stop insulting my family. They said Portable is better than me. I should be happy that the young are more popular. That’s how it should be. Fela was against [MKO] Abiola and [Olusegun] Obasanjo, yet Nigerians voted for them.
“Then you come back to ask me. I made a song and said these political elites are a part of the problem. They’re going to do the same as the soldiers [of the military era]. They’ve had 22 years and are still not doing [well].”
