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Fela: Ten years after
FOR the lovers of the
Afro-beat crooner, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, August 2 , 1997 will forever remain unsullied in their memory, as the maverick Nigerian
singer, composer, and saxophonist, who fused Rock Music with African Rhythm into a blend called "Afro Beat", an African/Afrodiaporic
music, crossed over to the great beyond. Exactly 10 years after the demise of the popularly called "one keeps wondering if
Africa would ever produce another such radical, creative, outspoken but controversial Music Legend in our lifetime, obviously
not undermining the potential of the likes of Mariam Makeba, Franco, Manu Dibango, Chaka Chaka, Papa Wemba, Kofi Olumide,
etc.
Professor Micheal Veal in his paperback titled Fela: Life And Times Of An Africa
has this to say about the popularly acclaimed Black President "Raucous, uninhibited and proud, Fela was one of Africa's most
intriguing personalities, for his controversial public persona as much as for his music. It's difficult to say for what Fela,
born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, was best known: his band publicised Afro pop in the 1980s; he repeatedly spoke
out against unfair politics in Africa and abroad; his life was abundant with drugs and sex". This undoubtedly encapsulates
the fascinating personality of Fela and his contribution to knowledge and humanity. Fela as popularly called by his numerous
fans and supporters, rose to the national and international limelight with his unique and distinctive Afro-beat which became
the tool with which he continually condemned the Military Junta in Nigeria and across Africa. His bohemian life-style was
another point of interest to many of his numerous fans across the globe, ranging from his marijuana smoking (Weed or Igbo),
display of under-pants at an open stage performance, his love for numerous women, his down-to-earth attitude, and his unrelenting
criticism of bad governance, amidst others. His Shrine was a place of worship to his fans, no wonder he became an idol. He
was detained severally by different military regimes from General Olusegun Obasanjo down to that of Abacha and at times imprisoned
on trumped-up charges. He has to his credit over 50 albums since he became a dominant superstar of African music in the early
70s and 80s.
He was born on October 15, 1938 in Abeokuta, Ogun State of Nigeria into a middle
class family where there was enough affluence and comfort for a young man like him, but he chose to break up with his family
affluence and wishes, by becoming a band leader and a political catalyst of sort. He started as a Jazz Musician, but shifted
to Reggae and Pop while studying at Trinity College, Oxford, England from 1959 to 1962, where he studied Piano, Composition
and theory, hence, leading his High-Life to join the Jazz group called Koola Lobitos. He had brief stint in Ghana and later
United States of America, when he took his group Koola Lobitos in 1969 to play. He developed special interest in Politics
and Civil Rights Advocacy following his meetings with Radical Black Activists like Angel Davies, Stokley Carmicheal and the
Last Poets, taking a cue from the footsteps of Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jnr. By 1970, he returned to Nigeria and changed
his band's name from Koola Lobitos to Afrika 70, and in 1971, he enjoyed a local big hit with the album "Jeun Koku" (Yoruba
word meaning eat and die, for gluttons). Same year, he founded the African Shrine Club which later became the hub of all his
activities (Political, Music etc). He sang in "Broken English" a coined-substandard English language, an acceptable and a
wider means of communicating to a large audience beyond the Nigerian shores. He styled himself through his music with a particular
message of lampooning the ruling elite, taking a swipe at the ruling military junta in Nigeria and across Africa. His music
spread like wild fire across the African continent, his popularity grew for his music was that of the common man, articulating
their views and demanding for their freedom from their slave masters in power. Without any iota of doubt, Fela reeled out
some of the most challenging, abrasive, rhythmic, and awesomely radical music ever produced in the African Continent. Despite
persecution, beatings, incarcerations, loss of mother and a lot of property, he refused to keep mute on happenings in Nigeria,
Africa and the globe at large. He stormed the world with his hit songs like: "Zombie", "Vagabond in Power(VIP)", "Army Arrangement",
"International Thief Thief (ITT)"," Authority Stealing", "Mr. Follow Follow (MFF)"," "Again Excuse O", "Johnny Just Drop (JJD)
", Clear Road For Jagajaga (CRFJJ), "Expensive Shit", "Beast Of No Nation (BONN)", "Confusion Break Bone (CBB)", "Unnecessary
Begging", 'Shuffering And Smiling(SAS)', "Coffin For Head Of State",, "Unknown Soldier" Gentleman", Chop And Clean Mouth(CACL),
Over-take Don Overtake Over-take (ODOO), "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense (TDTMN)", :
In 1975, in true reflection and promotion of African Culture, he changed his middle
name from Ransome (which is regarded as a slave name) to Anikulapo, his full names then read Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Fela means
(He Who Emanates Greatness), Anikulapo means (Having Control Over Death) while Kuti means (Death Cannot Be Caused By Human
Entity). In 1978, to further buttress his controversial status, he married 27 women simultaneously in a day via traditional
marriage while he changed his band name to Egypt 80 Band in 1979, promoting the postulation that civilisation began in Egypt
in Africa.
Significantly, on February 18, 1977, when the corrupt Generals and the Debauched power
brokers could no longer tolerate his continuous criticism and what is generally referred to as "Yabis" (abuse) in his parlance,
his Kalakuta Republic House at Alagbon Close was razed to the ground by the then Military Junta led by Gen Olusegun Obasanjo
It was this that eventually led to the death of his 82-year old mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was thrown out of a first
floor window. Do you still remember that popular phrase in his song? "Dem kill my Mama, dem carry eferybody go inside
jaily o". Trust Fela, despite suffering, fractured skull, arm and leg; he revealed his ordeal in his album "Unknown Soldier".
He later died in 1997, with a lot of controversies surrounding his death. Two of his sons - Femi and Seun became a chips off
the old block, as they are now both powerful in Afro music. Femi now manages the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, where he plays every other day to continue his father's legacy while Seun manages alongside
Baba Ani, Fela's Egypt 80 Band. Precisely 10 years after his demise, the tempo of Afro music has been on the rise though populated
with many artistes now with Lagbaja and Femi Kuti leading the pack, while Dede, Seun, Tamedu, Amala, Alariwo still keeping
the flag flying. Significantly, however, none of them has been able to live up to expectation or confidently fill the Fela
gap in terms of maintaining the social criticism tempo. Somebody should join me say 21 "Yeeyee" for Abami-Eda, as we remember
him 10 years after today.
Courtesy: Stephen Alayande -Lagos
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