Baba Ani, the 90-year-old former band manager and musician who spent 32 years playing with Fela Kuti, has revealed why he still misses the Afrobeat legend decades after his death. In a recent interview with the Podcast Network, Baba Ani said he misses Fela because the late musician trusted him and treated him like a senior brother, not an employee.
A 32-Year Musical Journey with Fela Kuti
Baba Ani, who played with Fela across both the Africa 70 and Egypt 80 eras, sat down with the Podcast Network in a conversation that aired this week. Reflecting on decades of Nigerian music history told from the inside, he was asked who he missed most from that era. He answered saying Fela, before going ahead to outline the other musicians he worked with like YS and Tony Allen.
"I miss Fela a lot because he trusted me, he believed in me, he took me in as a senior brother, not as an employee," he said. He recalled that once Fela was taken to hospital in his final days, that was the last time he saw him, confirming that there was no final argument and no falling out, just an abrupt ending to over three decades of friendship and music.
Baba Ani's Favourite Fela Song and the Golden Era
When asked to name his favourite Fela song, Baba Ani said he could not choose. "In all Fela's songs, I don't see which one I don't like," he said.
Baba Ani's time with Fela spans one of the most significant periods in African music history. The Africa 70, formed in the late 1960s, was the band that helped Fela develop and define Afrobeat as a genre, blending traditional Yoruba music with jazz, funk and politically charged lyrics that made him one of the most provocative artists on the continent.
The Egypt 80 Era and Fela's Last Days
The Egypt 80, which replaced the Africa 70 in 1979, was an even larger ensemble that continued Fela's musical and political output through some of his most celebrated recordings. Baba Ani was present through both, sharing stages and studios with musicians including Tony Allen, widely regarded as the co-creator of Afrobeat, as well as YS, Ego, Kofi and other figures who helped shape the sound.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti died on August 2, 1997, at the age of 58, from complications related to AIDS. His death was announced by his son Femi Kuti and drew mourners from across Nigeria and the world. Nearly three decades later, Baba Ani's grief has not dulled. At 90, he remains one of the last living links to Afrobeat's golden era and one of its most devoted keepers.
