Media personality Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, has dismissed comparisons between Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Grammy-winning singer Ayo Balogun, known as Wizkid.
In a video shared online, Daddy Freeze argued that Wizkid’s achievements in music alone do not measure up to Fela’s influence, which extended far beyond entertainment into activism and civil rights. He stated that Wizkid can only be fairly compared to Fela if he is willing to stand up to the government and fight for justice.
“Until Wizkid is ready to stand up and challenge the government, he shouldn’t compare himself to Fela. Did you know Fela was released from prison just to prevent him from dying there? They let him go home because his death in prison would have sparked public outrage. That was 1995, and I was a university fresher then,” Daddy Freeze said.
He added, “Fela was not a troublemaker; he was a freedom fighter. His music and activism were inseparable. You cannot talk about Fela without acknowledging everything he stood for.”
The controversy reignited after Seun Kuti, Fela’s son, rejected comparisons between Wizkid and his father. Seun argued that labeling Wizkid as “bigger” or “more influential” diminishes Fela’s legacy, emphasizing that Fela’s impact as a political and cultural activist goes far beyond musical success.
Seun also criticized Wizkid’s fans for frequently invoking Fela in online debates, calling it disrespectful and highlighting a misunderstanding of history. He questioned why modern commercial achievements are equated with Fela’s historical significance and objected to Wizkid using the nickname “Big Bird,” which he claimed was originally associated with him.
In response, Wizkid took to Instagram to clarify that he rejects comparisons to Fela, asserting that he measures success differently in the context of modern music.