Seun Kuti, the embattled Afrobeat singer, found himself in a
remarkable turn of events when he was
crowned the ‘General Overseer’ of his
cell by the inmates. This unexpected development came after Seun made headlines
for assaulting a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge, an incident that
quickly went viral.
The incident caught the attention of the Inspector-General of
Police, Alkali Baba, who promptly issued an order for Seun’s arrest. Realizing
the gravity of the situation, Seun decided to surrender himself to the police
accompanied by his legal team. He was subsequently arraigned at the Sabo, Yaba
Chief Magistrate Court on Tuesday, where he was remanded in custody.
The son of the legendary Afrobeat icon, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,
was then taken to the State Criminal, Investigations and Intelligence
Department (SCIID) at Panti, Yaba, Lagos on the orders of the Yaba Chief
Magistrate Court for assaulting a police officer. However, his arrival at the
prison was met with uneasiness and pandemonium due to the initial hostility of
the inmates at the SCIID.
The atmosphere was tense as the inmates, with a leader
possessing a hoarse, deep baritone voice, ordered Seun to remain standing upon
his arrival. Moments later, chaos erupted within the cell as the inmates
vehemently rejected him, banging on the metal protective door in protest and
demanding that he be removed.
Sources reported that Seun, recognizing the commotion his
presence had caused, desperately sought to restore calm and negotiate peace.
Surprisingly, the police guards seemed unfazed by the uproar. Seun, realizing
he needed to appease the inmates, promised to give them ₦25,000. Desperate to
fulfill his promise, he pleaded for the use of a phone and called his wife, who
swiftly brought the money. He handed it over to their leader, and only then did
the inmates begrudgingly accept him and make space for him to sit.
The ordeal left Seun disheartened and frustrated to the point
where he refused to eat the food provided for him, including the meals brought
by his wife. He embarked on a hunger strike, which lasted for almost a day and
a half until he eventually decided to eat.
In a surprising twist, the inmates later chose to crown Seun
as the General Overseer of the cell, presenting him with a Bible. From that
point forward, Seun found himself leading prayer sessions for the inmates
whenever the need arose. As they prayed, the inmates would chant in unison:
“GO, GO,” signifying his new title.
Around 2:30 pm on Friday, witnesses observed Seun tightly
clutching the Bible in his left hand as he ascended the stairs leading to the
office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Waheed Ayilara. However, he was
eventually led back down the stairs and returned to his cell, where he resumed
his role as the spiritual leader of the inmates.
The incredible sequence of events showcased the tumultuous
journey that Seun Kuti had undertaken, transforming from an accused individual
to an unexpected figure of authority within the prison walls.
