Ace Nigerian artist Innocent Idibia, better known by his stage as 2Face or 2Baba, has stated that it is insulting to compare singer Wizkid to the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
In reaction to his son Seun Kuti’s criticism of him and his followers, Wizkid recently caused a stir by asserting that he is “bigger” than Fela.
2Face responded in a preview of the next Mic On podcast episode, calling the comparison absurd and highlighting how it is unjust to Wizkid’s career and disrespectful to Fela’s legacy.
The African Queen crooner clarified that comparing Fela and Wizkid side by side ignores their disparate historical periods, influences, and distinctive contributions to Nigerian music.
“It’s absurd to compare Fela to Wizkid,” he declared. In addition to being unjust to Wizkid, it is insulting to Fela.
Meanwhile, Yeni Kuti, a Nigerian media figure, has criticized Nigerian artists who make comparisons to her father, Fela.
“Fela’s continued relevance 29 years after his death speaks for itself,” Yeni said in an interview with Arise TV after accepting Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammys alongside other family members.
Yeni claims that discussions and parallels with Fela fail to capture the essence of legacy.
She called on modern artists to honor Fela’s legacy and refrain from disparaging his accomplishments by drawing comparisons to a deceased person.
Yeni Kuti went on to say that modern singers had to evaluate themselves against their peers rather than Fela.
