Nigerian Afrobeats musician Seun Kuti has expressed his strong belief that disciplining children without corporal punishment is in line with African values. Sun, the youngest son of Afrobeats pioneer Fela Kuti, reflected on his childhood experiences and his father’s adamant stance against flogging.
In a heartfelt video shared on his Instagram page, the 41-year-old Egyptian 80 band leader shared how his father consistently protected him from corporal punishment at school. I looked back. Swoon said Fela Kuti sent a letter to the school authorities at the beginning of each school year giving clear instructions that teachers were not allowed to cane her son.
“My father always wrote me a letter on the first day of school,” Sun said. “In elementary school, they were written to the principal. In middle school, to the principal. The letters always said, ‘No one should touch my child.’ If he does something wrong, please report him home and I will punish him myself. ”
Seun noted that this act not only protected him from the widespread practice of caning in Nigerian schools, but also emphasized his father’s commitment to alternative discipline methods.
Recalling an incident in which a teacher ignored a warning, Soong said: “One day, a teacher tried to commit suicide. I didn’t like that teacher either. The speed with which I reported him home was unparalleled. Since that day, he has committed suicide. I experienced it.”
Seun also took the opportunity to debunk the notion that corporal punishment is inherent in African culture. “It is ‘un-African’ to beat your own child,” he claimed. “Some of us are led to believe that African parents beat their children. No, Africans were being beaten, not the other way around.”
The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts graduate stressed that true African parenting values prioritize guidance and respect over physical reprimand. Sewoon’s reflections spark a broader discussion about the importance of exploring nonviolent ways to correct and raise children in modern society.
