Veteran Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has described ongoing comparisons between Afrobeats star Wizkid and late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti as “ridiculous” and disrespectful.
The music icon said placing both artistes side by side undermines Fela’s legacy while also doing a disservice to Wizkid’s achievements.
“Comparing Fela with Wizkid is ridiculous. Apart from the fact that it is disrespectful to Fela, and at the same time, it is also unfair to Wizkid,” 2Baba said on Mic On podcast.
The renewed debate followed recent public exchanges between Wizkid and Seun Kuti, Fela’s son, during which the singer reportedly claimed to be “bigger” than the Afrobeat legend in response to criticism.
The comment triggered widespread reactions across social media and within the music industry.
2Baba stressed that both artistes belong to entirely different eras and creative environments, arguing that their contributions to Nigerian music should be appreciated independently.
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According to him, comparing the two ignores the distinct contexts in which they created their work and the different roles they played in shaping music culture.
2Baba urged fans and critics to focus on celebrating individual legacies rather than engaging in comparisons he described as unproductive.
The award-winning singer, who recently marked 25 years in the music industry, is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential artistes.
Rising to prominence with the group Plantashun Boiz before launching a successful solo career, 2Baba has remained a key voice in Nigerian music for over two decades.
The debate comes amid renewed global recognition of Fela Kuti’s legacy. On January 31, 2026, the Afrobeat pioneer was posthumously honoured with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artiste to receive the prestigious Special Merit Award.
His children accepted the honour on his behalf during a ceremony in Los Angeles ahead of the 68th Grammy Awards.
While Wizkid remains one of Africa’s most successful contemporary music exports, industry voices continue to argue that Fela occupies a unique place in history as the architect of Afrobeat and a cultural revolutionary whose influence transcends commercial success.
