Duro Ikujenro, a former band member of the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti, has revealed some of the fond memories he had during his days working with Fela.
Ikujenyo, during an exclusive chat with The Nation Newspaper, disclosed how his parents sent him packing after learning that he resigned from public service to become a musician.
The legendary pianist and musician noted that he was working for the government at that time, but found fulfilment in music, so he decided to resign, a decision that didn’t sit well with his parents.
“Before I lived with Fela, I was working at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. My parents never knew about my music at all, but when they got to know that I was going to resign, they drove me out of the house,” said Ikujenyo.
Continuing, he said, “They said if you want to live with us, you have to have a job. My father was working at the ministry of information and cultural department. He was the one who started the administrative element of CBAC. So, because of that, I moved to Ikoyi.”
He further disclosed how he was taken to the psychiatric hospital due to his beliefs.
“When I went back home, my parents took me to the psychiatric hospital thinking I wasn’t mentally stable due to my beliefs, but they found out I was okay.”
Credit: Nation
