Veteran Nigerian singer, Onyeka Onwenu has revealed how she ran away from the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who sought her hand in marriage.
The 71-year-old recounted her experience with Fela during an interview with Kadaria Ahmed on her podcast, Quarter to 12.
Onyeka said, “When he was arrested for taking money out of the country, there was a decree that you don’t take money out of the country, and this is money he had earned from the tour he previously had, and he took, I think, about 1000 something pounds.
“He was caught with it, and he was arrested. He couldn’t meet up with his concert, and they arrested and jailed him. And I came up and said, ‘No, that’s wrong.’”
According to her, it was at that point that Fela fell in love with her. She said he invited her to his house when he got out of prison.
“He knew that I would say no. I later heard that he had a bet with someone that she is going to run. ‘Watch her reaction,’” she said.
In February 2022, Onyeka opened up on her previous marriage.
In an interview with media personality Kikilomo Atanda-Owo, she stated that she did not want the union to end.
Onyeka, however, added that staying in the marriage would have killed her.