Is There Anything You Miss About Fela?
To some people, Fela was nothing but a chariot of calamity, controversy and confusion, whose memory should be everlastingly bottled up in the grave. Fela, they will say, baselessly attacked christianity and islam. Fela, they will say, was an atheist. Fela, they will say, was a polygynist who married twenty-seven women in a day. And Fela they will say, was an amoralist, who died of HIV/AIDS.
Yes, Fela was not a saint. In fact, Baba 70 categorically told the world in one of his tracks that, I no be gentleman at all, I no be gentleman at all, at all, I be African man original.
It is Undisputable that Fela lived an enigmatic lifestyle, a lifestyle so enigmatic and capricious that, he nicknamed himself, Abami Ẹda (the enigmatic One) and changed his middle name from Ransome to Anikulapo /Ani iku ni Apo (he who carries death in his pockets).
But Fela, through his queer lifestyle, succeeded in inspiring thousands of Africans accross the globe. It is for this latter reason, that I considered it worthwhile to write this article in remembrance of Fela aka Abami Eda.
Fela's lifestyle in some ways clouded the economic and political messages in his music. When you sit back and listen to some of his songs, you will be surprised to see that a lot of the things he complained about in the 70s and 80s are still happening today.
Fela was a prophet. As far back as the 1970s, he warned Nigerians against religious fanaticism and religious 'follow followism'. He massively attacked pastors and imams who uses the precious name of Jesus and Muhammed to extort their congregation.
To some people, Fela was nothing but a chariot of calamity, controversy and confusion, whose memory should be everlastingly bottled up in the grave. Fela, they will say, baselessly attacked christianity and islam. Fela, they will say, was an atheist. Fela, they will say, was a polygynist who married twenty-seven women in a day. And Fela they will say, was an amoralist, who died of HIV/AIDS.
Yes, Fela was not a saint. In fact, Baba 70 categorically told the world in one of his tracks that, I no be gentleman at all, I no be gentleman at all, at all, I be African man original.
It is Undisputable that Fela lived an enigmatic lifestyle, a lifestyle so enigmatic and capricious that, he nicknamed himself, Abami Ẹda (the enigmatic One) and changed his middle name from Ransome to Anikulapo /Ani iku ni Apo (he who carries death in his pockets).
But Fela, through his queer lifestyle, succeeded in inspiring thousands of Africans accross the globe. It is for this latter reason, that I considered it worthwhile to write this article in remembrance of Fela aka Abami Eda.
Fela's lifestyle in some ways clouded the economic and political messages in his music. When you sit back and listen to some of his songs, you will be surprised to see that a lot of the things he complained about in the 70s and 80s are still happening today.
Fela was a prophet. As far back as the 1970s, he warned Nigerians against religious fanaticism and religious 'follow followism'. He massively attacked pastors and imams who uses the precious name of Jesus and Muhammed to extort their congregation.
In the words of Fela "pope na Miliki, Imam na Gbaladun. Many christians and muslims all over the world had strongly criticized Fela for this, but myself and other distinguished world citizens, knew that Fela had spoken the undiluted truth.
In Fela's voice Many leaders as you see them. Na different disguise them dey oo, animal in human skin, animal putting tie on, animal wearing agbada, animal putting suit on.
Recently, the debate regarding the rightness or wrongness of cleric to cruise private jets, rocked the national media. This kind of debate is past tense in the Fela's dictionary because he had discussed it long before anyone dreamt of it.
In Fela's voice Many leaders as you see them. Na different disguise them dey oo, animal in human skin, animal putting tie on, animal wearing agbada, animal putting suit on.
Recently, the debate regarding the rightness or wrongness of cleric to cruise private jets, rocked the national media. This kind of debate is past tense in the Fela's dictionary because he had discussed it long before anyone dreamt of it.
I salute the late Fela for his foresightedness. Abami Eda , you have sent millions of message to we Africans and because of this we will never forget you, Your Legacy lives on.
No comments:
Post a Comment