Yeni Kuti
Omoyeni "Yeni" Anikulapo-Kuti (born 24 May 1961) is a British-born Nigerian dancer, singer, television presenter, entrepreneur and cultural promoter. She is best known as the founder of Felabration, the annual music festival established to celebrate the life and legacy of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, and as the managing director of the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
Also recorded as Omoyeni 'Yeni' Anikulapo-Kuti · YK
Yeni Kuti
- Name
- Yeni Kuti
- Birth Name
- Omoyeni Anikulapo-Kuti
- Born
- 24 May 1961
- Birthplace
- England, United Kingdom
- Education
- Nigerian Institute of Journalism
- Occupation
- * Dancer
- Nationality
- Nigeria
- Languages
- English · Yoruba · Nigerian Pidgin
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Documentary summary
Omoyeni "Yeni" Anikulapo-Kuti (born 24 May 1961) is a British-born Nigerian dancer, singer, television presenter, entrepreneur and cultural promoter. She is best known as the founder of Felabration, the annual music festival established to celebrate the life and legacy of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, and as the managing director of the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
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Note VALÉORINE
Yeni Kuti (born 1961) is a businessperson, dancer and fashion designer, among other activities, of Nigerian nationality. The businessperson was born in England. Languages used include English, Nigerian Pidgin and Yoruba.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Yeni Kuti • Birth Name — Omoyeni Anikulapo-Kuti • Born — 24 May 1961 • Birthplace — England, United Kingdom • Education — Nigerian Institute of Journalism • Occupation — * Dancer • Singer • Television presenter • Businesswoman • Notable Works — Felabration, Managing Director of New Afrika Shrine • Parents — Fela Kuti • Relatives — Femi Kuti (brother) Seun Kuti (brother) Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (grandmother)
Early life and education
Early life and education
Yeni Kuti was born in England to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and his British wife. At the age of two, she relocated with her family to Nigeria, where she completed her primary and secondary education. She later obtained a diploma in journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.
Career
Career
After working as a fashion designer, Kuti joined her brother Femi Kuti's band in 1986 as a singer and dancer. She later became one of the foremost promoters of Afrobeat culture and has remained actively involved in preserving the legacy of her father. In 1998, she founded Felabration, an annual music and cultural festival celebrating the life, music and activism of Fela Kuti. The festival has grown into one of Africa's largest music events, attracting artists and visitors from around the world. She also serves as the managing director of the New Afrika Shrine, the Lagos performance venue dedicated to Afrobeat music, and has worked as a television presenter while promoting Nigerian arts and culture.
Family
Family
Yeni Kuti belongs to the prominent Ransome-Kuti family. Her grandmother was Nigerian women's rights activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, while her father was Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Her brothers, Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti, are internationally recognized Afrobeat musicians.
Legacy
Kuti is widely regarded as one of the leading custodians of Fela Kuti's legacy through her work with Felabration and the New Afrika Shrine. She has contributed significantly to the promotion of Afrobeat as both a musical genre and a cultural movement.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Yeni Kuti”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q21190376: Yeni Kuti
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Veal, Michael E. Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon. Temple University Press. 2000.
- 2.How Yeni Kuti turned Felabration into a global cultural festival. The Guardian. 15 October 2023.
- 3.Yeni Kuti's confession: Day I escaped rape. The Sun. 17 May 2014.
- 4.Moore, Carlos. Fela: This Bitch of a Life. Chicago Review Press. 2010.
- 5.Veal, Michael E. Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon. Temple University Press. 2000.
- 6.How Yeni Kuti turned Felabration into a global cultural festival. The Guardian. 15 October 2023.
- 7.Yeni Kuti speaks on preserving Fela's legacy. The Punch.
- 8.At 50, No one wants to marry me – Yeni Kuti. Vanguard. 28 May 2011.
- 9.Fela Kuti remembered: 'He was a tornado of a man, but he loved humanity'. The Guardian. 31 October 2010.
- 10.Veal, Michael E. Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon. Temple University Press. 2000.
- 11.Yeni Kuti on Afrobeat, Felabration and her father's legacy. This Day.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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