What started as online chatter around legacy and comparisons has now turned into a full-blown public feud between Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti, fans of Wizkid, and eventually Wizkid himself.

The tension first surfaced in early January when Seun posted a long Instagram video aimed at Wizkid’s fanbase, popularly known as Wizkid FC. He accused them of constantly dragging the name of his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, into online music debates.

“Keep Fela’s name out of your (Wizkid FC) mouths. Why must you find a way to bring Fela always into your discussions?” he said.

Seun insisted that calling any modern artiste the “new Fela” showed ignorance about the depth of his father’s legacy.

“You try to steal the man. You try to claim that this your artiste is the new Fela. Then, when you people saw that you couldn’t wear those pants, that the shoes were too big to fill, you now turn around.”

He also criticised what he described as toxic fan behaviour, arguing that real love for music should not rely on constant comparison.

“You know why you cannot enjoy your artiste’s music without comparing it to something else? Because the music does not fulfill your spirits. That’s why you people look for extra drama always around the art,” he said.

The “Big Bird” argument

Last Wednesday, January 14, the situation escalated during an Instagram Live session where a Wizkid fan reportedly asked Seun to drop his longtime nickname, “Big Bird,” because Wizkid is also described by fans as the “Biggest Bird.”

Seun pushed back immediately.

“Wizkid stole my name. Tell your fave to be original,” he said.

“Why are you telling me to change my name? Sorry, I can’t change it. This name has been here since. I am the first to come up with it.”

He went further to accuse Wizkid’s team of enjoying the comparisons instead of shutting them down.

“If I see DJ Tunez again, I’ll confront him because he and his team are enjoying the Wizkid and Fela comparison instead of debunking it. I won’t even hug him.”

During the same session, Seun revealed that his father’s legacy still brings financial rewards decades after his death.

“I recently received about $120,000 simply because I am Fela’s son; it is not my work. My father has died over 29 years from the grave, and I received it,” he said.

“How many of your fathers from the grave can send you $120,000 from the grave? You think you can just pen your mouth…No of your fathers has accomplished… You don’t know what it means to be the child of someone who accomplished something.”

He stressed that his anger was not directed at Wizkid personally, but at fans who, in his view, confuse noise with relevance.

“Use your numbers for something meaningful”

Seun also challenged Wizkid FC to turn their online energy into something tangible.

“I’ll use four days to drag Wizkid FC. They claim they’re over one million, so let them contribute ₦1,000 each for their fave. That’s ₦1 billion to build a school in Surulere on Wizkid’s behalf. Dragging and disrespect is your power. All they do is insult people. Who raised you?”

“You cannot come together to do something positive in the name of the young man,” he added.

He also dismissed claims that Wizkid is a “new Fela” or bigger than the Afrobeat pioneer, saying such views ignore the political weight and personal sacrifice behind his father’s legacy.

Wizkid fires back
On January 20, Seun’s Kuti’s day 6 of dragging Wizkid FC, Wizkid broke his silence through a series of Instagram Story posts, shifting the feud into a direct exchange.

He first shared a video of a woman speaking in Yoruba, criticising Seun’s behaviour and questioning why his family had not intervened.

In the video, she said, “Seun Kuti’s family, is this how you will be looking at this bro until he enters the market because he has been using 7 days and 7 nights to act insane?”

“You are cursing people’s children that much; you and your father will be unfortunate. If not for Wizkid, do you think anyone would care about your father or do you think we’re still in 1990?

“Your father succeeded, yet you’re this miserable? Is it only pant and weed you inherited from him? Wizkid literally has his tattoo on his body. I used to think you were wise. You’re finished!”

Wizkid then followed up with his own direct posts aimed at Seun.

“Pu**y boy @thenigbirdkuti ok i big pass your papa!!!wetin u one do? Fool at 40!,” he wrote.

“@bigbirdkuti I’m Big Wiz everyday bigger than your papa!! Wetin u one do fool?”

“Hungry bastard.”

Seun took to his Instagram again, “Free Diddy. His Lagos babe is missing him.”

Wizkid responded, “We all know who be diddy babe for naija, if na chain you want, come collect o make una free me my mouth no good.”

Seun took to his Instagram again and wrote, “Day 7 go baaaadt gan” with laughing emojis

Where things stand

What began as complaints about online comparisons has now turned personal, public, and deeply emotional. With both sides holding their ground and fanbases fully engaged, the dispute shows no sign of cooling off anytime soon.