Renowned Nigerian Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has sparked an important conversation about child battery and its cultural implications.
In a recent video shared on his Instagram page, Seun Kuti reflected on his childhood experiences and emphasized that physical punishment is not inherent to African culture.
Seun Kuti recounted how his father, the legendary Fela Kuti, would issue warning letters to his school administrators, prohibiting teachers from flogging him.
This proactive measure, according to him, allowed him to avoid the corporal punishment that was commonplace in Nigerian schools.
Kuti expressed gratitude for his father’s actions, stating that it was a pivotal moment in his upbringing.
He challenged the notion that beating a child is an African cultural norm.
Seun Kuti argued that it is a product of colonialism and cultural indoctrination.
He said,
“As a product of the Nigerian educational system, I almost experienced being flogged at school.
That’s the one thing I like my father for. So when I was going to school, my father always gave me a letter on the first day of school.
In primary school, the letter was addressed to my headmistress. In secondary school, it was to my principal.
The letter always read, “Nobody should touch my child.” “If he has done anything wrong, report him at home. I will punish him myself.”
One teacher tried himself one day. I didn’t even like the said teacher. The speed with which I reported him at home, he went through a lot after that day.
It’s ‘un-African’ to beat your child. I know that some of us have been indoctrinated to believe that African parents beat their children; no. African people were being beaten; it’s not the other way around.”