Make I yab dem? Fela would tease;
fela yab demmmmmm….the anticipating audience would roar back, eager for a laugh
at someone else’s expense. Contempt for the affectations and pretentiousness of
the ruling elite was dished-out in equal measure with thorough verbal roasting
of the masses that condoned these rulers in the first place.
In those
days, a visit to Lagos without a pit stop at fela’s club at jibowu fly-over was
a less than fulfilling experience for savvy visitors here in Nigeria and
foreigners, especially Europeans, who paid good money to endure humorous but
stinging jibes from a social critic conscious always, about the legacy of
colonialism and oppression.
Fela, for
all of his brilliance as a composer, arranger, keyboardist and saxophonist, it
was his prowess as a multi-talented instrumentalist that held the entire nation
of Nigeria together. As a band-leader, he was supported by a (COTERIE OF
BRILLIANT INDIVIDUALISTS) like { IGO CHICO on tenor saxophone, PEERLESS TONY
ALLEN..on drums} fela’s songs was catchy and easily understood lyrics largely
in pidgin English flavored by syncopated rhythms and an awe inspiring horn
section, were echoed and chorused by the female singer-dancers whose shrill
voices struck many as a throwback to the witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Intense, raw and uncut.
Nor matter
where fela was playing live, he was value-for-money. Whether performing with
his entire ensemble at the shrine or at the ( TBS…TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE) in
Lagos or just gigging impromptu with Tunde & the late kuboye at the museum
kitchen and later at jazz 38 on Awolowo road ikoyi, he effortlessly delivered a
satisfying performance which friends
of fela and visitors would talk about
till the next show.
Even his
habitual lateness in arriving at his live performances did nothing to dampen
the anticipation of the crowd and the joyful roar that always greeted his
double fisted black power salute as he strode onto the stage, sometimes 6 hours
late.
THE
BLACK-PRESIDENT, as many use to call him, rehearsed everyday to prepare for his
next show. I didn’t know fela personally but started hearing his jazz music in
my village in ( UMUIKPO OKAFIA IGBERE) through my uncle’s turn-table. Till when
I came to Lagos and attended his show at lekki beach on 25th of
December, 1990. Every time I watched him and his dancers live, I saw the
visceral impact his music had on his audience, me included. Great fela had the
ability to talk directly to each person in the audience. Do you know that I
still have an extensive collection of his music as one of my most prized possessions.
Even to this moment, continue to discover new things about fela through his
music.
My question
has been, where did he get the opening stanza of (WATER NO GET ENEMY?) what was
he thinking?, why is this assembly of notes still one of the most recognizable
musical phrases in Nigeria, across gender and tribe?, why would a light skinned
woman be described as ( YELLOW FEVER?) I get the yellow fever, but the FEVER
beats me. Was she hot to the touch or just hot to look at? There are many more
such questions waiting when I head into blissful retirement of this write-up
with fela’s music, and it will be a joy to ponder on them as I compare perhaps
this new generation music of these days. The
Empty,
meaningless music and lyrics of our time that has a lot of corrupt rhythms and
sound.
I have heard
other Afrobeat bands and artistes keeping the music alive, listened to sampled
versions of his music by young international artistes, and even seen the
Broadway show tagged FELA. That is now making waves on the global entertainment
circuit and introducing the fela phenomenon to new audiences worldwide. This is
AWESOME for this great legend who ever live, and is still living in our hearts.
The Emperor
of Afrobeat music sleeps and the people ponder and talk amongst themselves!!
More
respect, ABAMI EDA (THE STRANGE BEING), more respect to you as you rest. I am
still getting those goose bumps of jazz/ Afrobeat tunes.
FELA’S BEGINNING:
fela was born to middle-class parents in Abeokuta, Nigeria-on 15th
of October, 1938. He was the 3rd of 4 children: by all accounts his
upbringing was strict, thanks to his Anglican Gentleman father (Rev, Israel o.
Ransome Kuti…..and his political and women’s rights activist mother-Mrs,
olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti.
Fela was a
student of conventional music at Trinity College of music, oxford, England and
his early style reflected significant inflections of American jazz and Rhythm
and Blues as well as African highlife. He was already a prolific recording
artist during the 1960’s and I recall in 1990 stumbling upon a ( Fela Ransome
Kuti and his koola lobitos..LP, when listening to his songs, I was desperately
searching in vain for all his songs for a modicum of association between that
and the later Afrobeat music by the same artist.
Anikulpo
kuti was at his most prolific during the 70s and 80s and most of his more than
50 world class albums were produced at this time. His style had now become
distinct and unique and this was also when he was his most controversial and
confrontational. Commentators ascribe the metamorphosis to a tour of the USA in
1969. The introduction to black activism and the black consciousness movement
and consequently strong identification with Pan Africanism led to jettisoning
of his (SLAVE NAME….RANSOME)-and its replacement with the enigmatic-(
ANIKULAPO…meaning…HE THAT HAS DEATH IN HIS POUCH).
Pan
Africanaism also caused a change of name for his band to ( Nigeria70, Later the
Africa 70 and much later the Egypt 80) and also the names of his performing
clubs to the Afro Spot and later the present name …AFRIKA-SHRINE, located at
alawusa-ikeja….lagos state…the most powerful night club in africa.
THE MAKING
OF A STAR: At the height of his popularity, Fela was genuinely an international
super-star. Playing Afrobeat to sell-out audiences in Africa, Europe and US,
Fela remains by a long way the biggest musical phenomenon to have come from
Nigeria. Fela’s commanding stage shows, complete with supple, sexy and
dexterous dancing girls captivated audiences wherever he played and he gigged
with internationally acclaimed
musicians, most famously Ginger Baker of cream fame.
FELA VS
MILITARY RULE: Denounced as a misogynist, a promiscuous corrupting influence,
drug taker and attractor of miscreants; Fela’s own natural constituency which
should have been the Nigerian middle-class was his most hostile and vociferous
critic. Together as allies, it might have been more difficult for the military
rulers to isolate and deal with fela, even as they simultaneously presided over
near-annihilation of the middle-class in Nigeria. Mutual hostility was
injurious to both sides, nevertheless that didn’t stop Fela from forming his
own political movement called (MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE…MOP). By now in full
voice as a social critic and very much at the receiving end of official
intimidation and persecution; the music was the medium for the message that
continued to resonate with newer and younger generations of Nigerians.
In those
days, Nigerian musicians helped the masses to communicate messages to the
government, expressing the mind of the people.
Where are
the ( MANDETORS, RASKIMONO, MAJEK-FASHEK, ORIS-WILIKE, OLIVER DE QUOKE,
OSADEBE, ORIENTAL BROTHERS, OBI-IGWE, CHIKA OKPARA, ONYEKA OWENU, KING SUNNY
ADE, SIR SHINA PETERS, AFRICAN CHINA, IDRIS---OF NIGERIA JAGA-JAGA, OKWESCO OF
..IHE EMEBIWO, PAULSON KALU, NELLY UCHENDU, SIR WORRIOR , CHRISTY ESSIEN
IGBOKWE, SUNNY OKOSON, DANIEL WILSON, MIKE OKRIGH, HELLEN NKUME, SIR VICTOR
WAIFOR) and so many Nigerian old
musicians who were voices for the poor masses.
Today, the
taste of songs/ lyrics of Nigerian musicians have gone from bad to worse. Their
songs have no meaning. They can’t talk to government through songs again,
instead, they joined them in singing ( skelewu, dorobucci, sekem, kukere, chop
my money, ada oweri, shake your bumbum, bottom belle, ihe din a ukwu, I ga
ebunwukwe, etc.
THE SAD END
OF FELA: Very early in the morning of 2nd of August, 1997 at the age
of 58 years..18 years ago, the news of Fela’s death hit the entire world, and
the report coming from the family was an ugly and shameful one, how can fela of
all people died of ( HIV& AIDS ?), many were not surprised because of his
promiscuous life with women, some were expecting him to die of smoking
igbo…marijuana and cocaine.
By
testimony, some say that licentiousness always exacts a heavy price. However as
it was with Bob Marley and Reggae; by the time he exited, the same thing
happened to fela, he had elevated Afrobeat, a local music genre, unto the world
stage and international reckoning.
Gratitude to
the Kuti’s family for the courage to publicly tell the whole world the truth
that their brother ( FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI) died of HIV/AIDS. It was a great
challenge for fela’s brother ( OLUKOYE RANSOME KUTI) who was the minister of
health during ABACHA’S ADMINSTRATION.
SAY NO TO
HAD DRUGS AND CHAINS OF WOMEN TO AVIOD DYING YOUNG!!!.
THIS
DOCUMENTARY IS WRITTEN BY ( ENGR, PRINCE KUNTA-KINTE )
PRESIDENT,
OLIVE FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL (OFI)
No comments:
Post a Comment