Revealed: Seun Kuti’s terrible experience in cell, how he became prayer warrior

By Nehru Odeh

Seun Kuti, the embattled Afrobeat musician and son of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikukapo Kuti has not been having an easy ride in his cell at the State Criminal, Investigations and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

Seun is being detained there on the orders of Yaba Chief Magistrate Court for assaulting a police officer on Third Mainland bridge.

A video showing him shoving and slapping a police officer in uniform on that bridge has gone viral.

Seun, who is known for his strong personality and vociferousness has not only been humiliated, but is being forced to eat the humble pie in his cell at Yaba.

According to Vanguard reports, when he was initially brought into the cell, where he joined other suspected criminals, the inmates there refused to accept him.

He received the shock of his life when the leader of the inmates, with his hoarse deep baritone voice ordered him to remain standing.

Few minutes later, crisis erupted in the cell as the inmates were said to have rejected him. They were banging on their metal protective door, shouting that Seun be taken out of the cell.

As the uproar in the cell escalated and became too unbearable for Seun, and he noticed that the commotion and his rejection by the inmates attracted little or no attention from the police guards on duty, he started negotiating for peace to reign.

At that stage, he reportedly promised to dole out N25,000 to them in order to pacify them. And he was asked to produce it with immediate alacrity.

Seun had to beg for the police to call his wife who quickly brought the money which was handed over to the leader. The inmates subsequently accepted him and provided a space for him to sit down

Seun was so infuriated by the ugly development that he refused to eat the food provided for him including the food brought by his wife. The hunger strike continued for almost a day and a half until he finally started eating.

The climax of the drama was when the inmates later crowned him the General Overseer of the cell and a bible was handed over to him. That means that he is presently leading the inmates in prayer sessions whenever the need arises after which they would all chorus: GO, GO.

Seun was seen around 2:30 pm, Friday clutching the Bible tightly with his left hand while climbing the stairs leading to the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge, Waheed Ayilara. He was later led down the stairs, back into the cell.

Sources said those who have visited the embattled singer included his elder brother, Femi, and other family members as well as his lawyers and some friends.

Meanwhile, the Chief Magistrate Court, Sabo, Yaba has granted an application for an extension of Seun Kuti’s remand for additional four days to allow further investigation into the case.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, extended Kuti’s remand until May 22 following an application moved by Mr Simon Lough, SAN, who led a police legal team to the court.