From Rejection to Legend – Yeni Kuti Reveals How Fela Barely Made It Into Music School

Media personality Yeni Kuti has shared a surprising story about her late father, Fela Kuti, the iconic Afrobeats pioneer.

According to her, Fela struggled in school while growing up in Nigeria, unlike his siblings who excelled.

In a recent episode of Your View on TVC, Yeni revealed that Trinity College of Music in London only admitted Fela back in 1958 out of pity—because his academic results were so poor.

According to her, Fela struggled in school while growing up in Nigeria, unlike his siblings who excelled. His parents didn’t want him to travel abroad, but his older siblings tricked their parents by claiming Fela had secured admission to study medicine in London.

When Fela finally arrived in the UK, they enrolled him in music school instead. But the college almost rejected him due to his weak grades.

“The admission officer told him, ‘It’s only because you came such a long way that I’m going to let you in with these results,’” Yeni said. “That’s how Fela got into music school—out of pity. But look at what he became. A legend.”

Despite that rocky start, Fela Kuti went on to create a revolutionary music genre, using his sound to speak truth to power. Today, his legacy as the father of Afrobeats continues to inspire artists worldwide.