Grammy-nominated Afrobeat singer, Made Kuti, has opened up about why he’s not keen on joining the fight for better leadership in Nigeria.
In a recent interview, he said his family has already sacrificed so much for the country, yet the results haven’t matched the effort. His great-grandmother, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, grandfather Fela Kuti, father Femi Kuti, and uncle Seun Kuti all stood up for justice and spoke out against bad governance. But according to Made, Nigeria hasn’t seen real change despite all they did.
Made explained that while he wants to be on the right side of history, he’s not ready to continue the struggle if it means putting his family in danger.
He stressed that his family has done more than enough. In his words, change can’t come from just one person—it has to come from everyone working together. He made it clear that he does his part, but it must be a shared effort for the country to truly get better.
Speaking during the ‘Breadown’ podcast, Made said that emotions often drive people to fight for change. But looking back at how long his family has struggled and the pain they faced, he wonders what difference his voice can make. He recalled how his great-grandmother was thrown from a building and died because of her activism, despite being a woman who deeply cared for Africa.
He asked an important question—if people like Fela and Funmilayo couldn’t bring real change, what can one song or one voice really do?
Still, he hasn’t given up completely. Made believes that if enough people do the right thing at the right time, real change can happen. He’s just unsure if it will happen in his lifetime. He’s not an idealist, but he believes everyone must play a role and not expect results from efforts they didn’t make.
Made said he’s determined to do what he can. He wants to raise his future children with the confidence that he did his best. But when it comes to giving everything up with no return, he’s cautious. He said his family has already given too much. That’s why he no longer wants to be deeply involved in activism—especially if it risks the wellbeing of the people he loves.
