IN a spirited celebration of music and culture, Nigerian rapper CDQ took centre stage at a Lagos bar last Wednesday, surrounded by hundreds of enthusiastic fans who swayed to the rhythm and sang along to his risqué lyrics. Vendors weaved through the crowd, offering snacks and drinks, while outside the venue, even more food sellers catered to the hunger of passersby. Frustrated drivers honked their horns loudly in the bustling streets as they navigated the congestion, contributing to the festive atmosphere that marked the third day of Felabration.
Felabration, an annual weeklong music festival held from October 9 to 15, pays tribute to the legendary Fela Kuti, the pioneer of Afrobeat, a genre characterised by its horn-driven sound influenced by jazz and highlife. The festival features a blend of established and emerging artists from Nigeria and around the world, and it is renowned for its electrifying concerts, typically broadcast from the iconic New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
Since its inception in 1998, Felabration has drawn thousands of fans to its vibrant celebrations each year. Among this year’s attendees was Sade White, a fashion entrepreneur in her late forties, donning a yellow shirt adorned with Kuti’s image on the front. For White, Felabration is more than just a musical event; it’s a moment to reflect on the issues Fela Kuti sang about and their continued relevance.
‘Fela’s music still resonates with us even today because a lot of the issues he sang about then are still relevant today,’ White remarked. In his lifetime, Fela Kuti used his music to critique successive military governments for corruption, human rights abuses, and poor leadership. He endured more than 200 arrests, while his mother, the renowned educator and suffragist Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, faced tragic consequences, succumbing to injuries sustained from being thrown off a building by soldiers.
The unchanging situation in Nigeria is striking, despite the passage of time. Issues that Fela Kuti passionately addressed in his songs, such as corruption, remain rampant. Human rights abuses, despite the country’s transition to democracy, continue to plague the nation. Even the faces in power have remained consistent, with two of Nigeria’s five leaders since Kuti’s era—Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari—being subjects of his sharp criticism.
More than half of the country’s population lives on less than $2 per day, and economic hardships persist due to persistent inflation and policy reforms that have reduced people’s disposable income.
The legacy of Fela Kuti’s music, which criticised corruption in songs like International Thief Thief and Authority Stealing, holds true today due to the ongoing lack of accountability. Joachim MacEbong, a governance analyst at Lagos-based Stears, points to songs such as Unknown Soldiers and Army Arrangement from 1979 and 1984 as enduringly relevant examples. He notes that Fela’s music reflects the ongoing issues of corruption and a lack of accountability.
Now in its 25th year, Felabration has grown to become one of the largest music festivals in Africa. It has also attracted a younger audience, including those who were not born during Fela Kuti’s lifetime. For attendees like Abiodun Magic, a Nigerian telecommunications company staffer, the festival serves as a communal gathering and a way to connect with the roots of contemporary Nigerian music.
‘It is our own celebration for the community where we come together and have fun. This is one opportunity where you get to feel closer to the root [of contemporary Nigerian music],’ Magic said. What makes Felabration even more remarkable is that it remains free, allowing a diverse crowd to come together and experience the essence of Fela Kuti’s music.
Fela Kuti’s family has continued his legacy of activism and music. His sons Seun and Femi, along with his grandson Made Kuti, are celebrated instrumentalists who perform internationally and carry on his socially conscious themes. These themes have also influenced the modern Afrobeats genre, with artists like Wizkid and Burna Boy, both Grammy Award winners, drawing inspiration from Fela and occasionally sampling his music.
While today’s artists may not always challenge authority as boldly as Fela did, their music still reflects the experiences of the average Nigerian, expressing the ongoing challenges and aspirations of the country.
Analysts emphasise that the enduring relevance of Fela Kuti’s music is a testament to the lack of progress in Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy and economy. As Joachim MacEbong from Stears puts it, ‘I am hoping for a day when Fela’s music is not quite as relevant simply because the Nigerian society is a lot better.’
(with Al Jazeera)
