The Day Fela Named His Donkey “Yakubu”

The Day Fela Named His Donkey “Yakubu”

The Day Fela Named His Donkey “Yakubu”

During the 1970s, the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti shocked many Nigerians by naming his pet donkey “Yakubu” — a direct reference to former Nigerian Head of State General Yakubu Gowon.

For Fela, it was more than a joke. It was a fearless act of political satire. He believed musicians should speak truth to power, and he used humour, symbolism, and music to challenge military rule.

Visitors to his Kalakuta Republic often saw the donkey, and Fela reportedly joked that it was “as dull as its namesake.”

Whether people agreed with him or not, the incident became one of the many examples of Fela’s boldness.

He refused to be intimidated by those in power and remained one of Africa’s most outspoken voices against oppression and bad governance.

Fela didn’t just sing about injustice — he turned everyday life into a powerful form of protest.