Femi Kuti Shut Down By Nigerian Cops

Son of legendary Afro-beat pioneer Fela Kuti target of possibly trumped-up accusations.

By Fred Mills

With an American tour slated to start just next week, Afro-beat star Femi Kuti got some rude news earlier this week from Nigerian authorities: they shut down his new Africa Shrine music venue, using as a basis somewhat vague environmental laws and citing "noise nuisance, illegal street trading, indiscriminate parking, blocking of access roads and obstruction of traffic."

According to a report filed by Agence France Presse, Yeni Kuti, eldest child of Fela Kuti (who passed away from AIDS in 1997), and co-manager of the club with Femi, said the state government gave the Kuti family 48 hours "to abate the nuisance and restore the land to a conducive environment" but closed the club less than 24 hours after the delivery of the letter. "I'm shocked, indignant," Yeni told reporters. "They [authorities in Lagos] dropped the note on Monday evening and the next day at 9:00 am they had closed the place."

No other details are known at this time.