"They Admitted Him Out of Pity" – Yeni Kuti Reveals How Fela Kuti Got into Music School Despite Poor Grades

 

Yeni Kuti, the daughter of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has opened up about a little-known part of her father’s journey into music. According to her, the path that led Fela into Trinity College of Music in London wasn’t as glamorous or straightforward as many people might think. In fact, she revealed that Fela only got into the prestigious music school because they felt sorry for him.

Yeni, who is a respected media personality in her own right, made this surprising revelation while speaking during a recent episode of the popular TVC daytime show Your View. She explained that although Fela came from a family of brilliant, academically gifted siblings, he was not exactly a bright student when it came to traditional education.

Fela’s academic performance was so poor that even Trinity College of Music, the school he eventually attended, initially had doubts about accepting him. Yeni shared how the admission officer made it clear that Fela's grades were far below the school’s standard. But something unexpected worked in his favour—sympathy.

“When he got to the music school, the admission officer said, ‘It’s only because you’ve come a long distance that I’m going to allow you into this school with these results,’” Yeni said, quoting the words reportedly spoken to Fela during his admission.

This statement alone shows just how close the Afrobeat pioneer came to missing out on the opportunity that eventually shaped his legendary career. If not for the fact that he had traveled all the way from Nigeria to the UK, he might never have been admitted at all.

But the story didn’t end there.

Yeni further explained that Fela’s journey to London wasn’t even meant to be about music in the first place. In fact, his parents believed he was going there to study medicine—a decision that came from pressure and expectation within the family.

However, in a surprising twist, Fela’s own siblings conspired to trick their parents. They knew that Fela had no real interest in becoming a doctor, and they decided to follow a different plan—one that aligned with his passion for music.

“They later enrolled him in musical school because by that time Fela was playing the piano… That was how he even got the music school out of pity. But look at it today, he is a legend,” Yeni added.

That small act of deception, and the admission that came out of pity, turned out to be one of the most important turning points in African music history.

Fela went on to attend Trinity College of Music in 1958, and from there, he laid the foundation for what would become Afrobeat—a genre that combined traditional African music with jazz, highlife, funk, and more. Today, Fela is remembered worldwide not just for his music, but also for his activism, charisma, and his fearless criticism of corruption and injustice.

Yeni’s story is a powerful reminder that success doesn’t always begin with perfect scores or clear plans. Sometimes, it starts with a passion, a bit of luck, and even the sympathy of a stranger.

What matters most is what you do with the opportunity when it finally comes your way.

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti may have entered music school under doubtful circumstances, but he walked out a trailblazer and went on to become a global icon and the father of Afrobeat.