Erelu Kuti I was born the daughter of Lagos' paramount king, and was therefore the sister of his two immediate successors. Subsequently she became the consort of one of Lagos' chiefs, then thereafter a chief in her own right.
Erelu Kuti I's birth into royalty elevated her to a position of importance, as she was the daughter of Lagos' supreme monarch and the sibling of his direct successors. Her subsequent marriage and rise to leadership further solidified her status.