By Comfort Obi

Seun Kuti, Afro Beat Musician, known more for being a son of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, than his achievement in his choice of career, is a very lucky guy. Otherwise, he would either have been in a hospital now with broken bones, or worse, in the mortuary.

On Saturday, Kuti pulled a shock on most Nigerians. The result was an outrage. But he didn’t care. He crossed the red line as if it was his right to do. As if it was the normal thing to do. And he did so in style. He boasted with it. And regaled in it. And flaunted it. And he was like: Why not? Do you know who I am? So one is tempted to ask: Who is he? What has he achieved in life? Or contributed to the society? Or the music industry?

But for his legendary father’s name, who would have heard his name? Or recognised him as an afro beat musician? He is not one of Nigeria’s young musicians who has, proudly, sold Nigeria to the world. Nigeria’s great Ambassadors. One hears his name in connection with Afro beat music because his father was the king of that genre of music. He was the lord and master. The ultimate. Kuti’s identity is his father. But that’s fine. It is his luck. His privilege. Otherwise, which of his songs has gone viral worldwide? Even in Nigeria?

Yet, it is that name that Seun Kuti spat on, and dragged on the floor, and finally pushed into the gutter on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

On this day, Kuti did the unbelievable. Over what has not been made public, except for speculations, Seun Kuti, along the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos,  pushed a a couple of times, a Police officer, fully dressed in his uniform, driving a Police vehicle. He shoved the Police Officer. Held his uniform. Made as if he was going to give the officer a headbutt. Almost spat on his face. And, finally, slapped the Police Officer hard on the face. It wasn’t all. He, also, verbally, abused the officer. For example, he asked the officer: “Are you stupid?”

Between Kuti and the Officer, the question is: Which of them was stupid in the instant case?

I would, without any shadow of doubt, give the medal of stupidity to Kuti. His action was stupid. And, he was just lucky that he met a cool-headed Police officer. In the face of an unbearable  provocation, the Officer maintained his cool. He was calm. He kept his mouth shut. And kept his hands down. As Kuti pushed him around, shoved him, spoke into his face, and slapped him, he did nothing.

Kuti is lucky he did not meet a crazy officer. A hot-headed one. Otherwise, that was Third Mainland Bridge. Kuti could have found himself in the Lagos Lagoon, or the Atlantic Ocean. What he did can only happen in Nigeria. And yet, Kuti was allowed to have two comfortable nights wherever he hid, and had the privilege of reporting himself to the Police Monday morning.

In some other countries, even in the most civilized countries, the United States of America, for example, Kuti’s body would have been bullet-ridden. In the US, as most countries, the worst thing one can do is to physically attack a law enforcement agent. It is a near abomination. It is okay if one verbally attacks him, but to go physical?, death would have become one’s company. Even when the Police stops one’s vehicle, one is not expected to move one’s hand, or grab one’s phone, or step out, unless one is asked to do so. It could be fatal. Not in our dear Country.

In Nigeria, we’ll grab the phone, call a superior officer,  or one big man, and threaten the Police who stopped one with a sack. Many Nigerians think most Policemen are inferior to them. That they are illiterate. But not true. They should go and cross-check. Many of those Inspectors, Sergeants, Corporals, Constables you see see are University or Polytechnic graduates. They are Lawyers  and Engineers. They are well-read. There are Inspectors who are Medical Doctors and Lawyers. Some Sergeants have Masters degrees. Of course some are, also, not very lettered. But it is so in a number of careers – including in Politics.

That was what Kuti did. In his initial reaction to the ugly incident, he said the officer wanted to murder him and his family. Then he asked everybody to mind their own business. That the Officer had apologized to him. And he doesn’t want the officer sacked! Just imagine!!

Kuti did not say how the officer wanted to murder him and his family. At the scene, the only member of his family seen there was, I guess, his wife. If so, husband’s public attitude must have embarrassed her. Not even her presence could restrain him from unleashing violence on a Police officer. That was disrespectful. He owes his wife an apology. And, I just wonder if there was a child in the car. I hope not, because the child must have been terribly scared.

What pushed Kuti? Did he forget his identity and, well celebrity status? Did he forget that, perhaps, there are some young kids who look up to him?  What pushes some of these celebrities? Does that “status” give them the privilege to talk anyhow? Behave anyhow? Atimes, I just shudder, reading and/or watching some of them. In this era of social media, nothing is sacrilegious enough for them not to post – even their intimate lives. Their nakedness, they even force on us!

Of course, we know,  celebrities can be crazy. But, in civilized climes, they know their borderline. There are behaviours which could strip them of everything they worked for within a minute. Accomplished Actor, Will Smith, lost everything, almost, in 2022, because, in one insane moment, he slapped Chris Rock, the host of the Oscars for jokingly mocking his wife. He lost money, roles in movies, endorsements and even banned from the Oscars. Yet, he wept and apologized profusely for that show of shame.

Kanye West, talented musician, lost billions of Dollars in endorsements for posts he made which were considered inappropriate.

When our Celebrities travel out of Nigeria, they toe the line. They behave well. They respect the law. But once some of  them are home, anything goes. It becomes: “Do you know who I am”? Can you imagine an American celebrity, for example, slapping a Policeman, and boasting about it. In another  viral video, Kuti boasted that he had slapped many Police officers before.

Police Authorities in Nigeria need to wake up. They need to inspire their people. They need to give them confidence. They need to stop treating them condescendingly, especially, by reducing them to domestic servants to the rich and mighty. It will not be surprising if Kuti usually has Policemen attached to him at one time or the other.

Is there any wonder, that instead of showing remorse, he is boasting. At the Lagos Police Headquarters, he even had a smile playing around his lips. He was sure-footed.

In the instant case, for example, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos, did not need to wait for the IGP to give him the marching orders to go after Kuti. He should have done that the minute it was reported to him. Where were the DPO and the Area Commander in that area? Kuti ought to have spent Saturday and Sunday nights in a Police cell to know the gravity of what he did, no matter the provocation. And what was the provocation, anyway? He would have been picked up even before the news got to the IGP.

What I hear a few people say is: “Good for the Police. We don’t like them. They assault and humiliate and even kill innocent people. Sure. I agree. It is a menace. But there is no profession without its own bad eggs. The percentage of the good people in the Nigeria Police Force, triples the bad. “Kill the Police, kill the Police”, but where will this country be without the Police? Nobody throws away the baby with the bath water.

Back to Kuti. The IGP’s prompt action is commendable. No waste of time. And so is the immediate weigh-in by Dr Solomon Arase, IGP rtd, and Chairman Police Service Commission. If this incident is not thoroughly investigated, and handled, and in doing so, make it clear that it is a crime to slap a Police officer; nobody will ever respect the Police again. They will become rags. Said an angry eye witness to the Kuti incident, “If Kuti is left free, I will go out and slap a Police officer, and nothing will happen.”

The ball is in the court of the Law Court to decide.

Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine), https://thesourceng.com.  Email: [email protected], [email protected]