Yeni Kuti, first daughter of the late Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, remains an interviewer’s delight. In an interview with ORUKPE NELSON she bares her mind on irreverent take on romance, social and political issues.

You are aging gracefully; what is the secret?

Thank you, but when I see myself in the mirror, I don’t think I am aging gracefully. There is really no secret, but I try to laugh, play and be happy. I think laughing is one of the secrets and sleeping I guess.

We’d be seeing another edition of Felabration later this year. What is the objective of the annual show?

The objective behind Felabration is about celebrating Fela. We are celebrating his legacy and heritage. It is a festival that people look forward to now every year and I hope that even after I am gone, it will continue. I am trying to get it to a stage where younger people will take over because I am almost 54. How long will I be able to last doing Felabration? So we need to get it to a stage where the younger ones can take it over and continue and we would just be like an advisory committee.

How would you rate the event since its inception?

I will say it gets bigger and better every year. It is an event people both within and outside the country look forward to every year.

What do you do to stay in shape?

I still dance in form of exercises. I also run a dancing class where I teach people how to dance.

How would you define your style?

My style is me. I love to match my clothes and I love beads. I love African clothes. I love Nigerian designers and African designers in general.

So, who is your best designer?

I am not giving anybody credit. Nobody gives me free clothes.

When you see women wear revealing clothes, how does that make you feel?

It depends on if you have the figure to flaunt it. I mean I just saw somebody wearing a very beautiful black dress and it’s kind of revealing but I think she looks beautiful. So if it is tastefully done, it is alright. It is when it is not tastefully done that it looks awful.

What puts you off in people?

I think lies. I hate liars and gossips.

You have a unique way of wrapping your hair. How did you come about it?

The way I wrap my hair is actually to hide my grey hair.

What is your signature perfume?

None, I use any perfume I like. And then I will not do any publicity for perfume because it is not free of charge.

What kind of shoes do you love?

I love all shoes. I can buy from expensive designers and I can buy from the high street. I’m a shoe person and I have a lot of shoes.

What is your beauty routine?

I just use moisturiser on my face in the morning that is just about it.

What makes you proud to be an African woman?

I think black is beautiful. You will never catch me bleaching because I am proud of my colour. I am a proud African; we have a rich culture, rich heritage. I am very proud of who I am.

What kind of jewellery appeals to you?

I like beads and I like custom jewellery. Not that I don’t like gold, I do but in a country where so many people are suffering, you don’t flaunt gold. I think a lot of Nigerian women with their million naira worth of gold are flaunting them in the face of too much poverty.

What is your ideal Nigeria?

That everybody will live equally and there will be no poverty. Also children will stop hawking on the streets because their parents can afford to send them to school and everybody will live comfortably. Also, that there will be water and constant light.

Why is it that women tend to be antagonistic towards each other especially in the work environment?

I don’t know. I have no idea. I wish I had an idea.

What will you say is your most memorable moment so far?

Giving birth to my daughter remains the one and only. No woman will go through this and forget about it. So my most memorable moment is giving birth to my daughter.

Would you allow her take to dancing?

I would but she doesn’t show that. She is a very conservative person.

How would you describe yourself?

I don’t know. I really don’t know how I would describe myself.

What makes you happy?

What makes me happy is if I have money. And I love to shop so if I have money, I can go shopping.

How is your daily schedule like?

I don’t stress myself really. I go to the office and I go to the studio. If I don’t have to go to the office, I work from the house but I try not to stress myself.

How do you relax?

I play computer games and watch television.