If there’s a time to be in Naija, it would be during the annual celebration of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s life, due to peak on 18th October. This year he would have been 70. Imagine that. Femi and Seun are guaranteed to be in Lagos celebrating their father’s life alongside a distinguished list of other African musician bigwigs such as Baaba Maal, Amadou and Mariam, Tony Allen. Apparently the African and British gathering of musicians who are doing this for love not money, under the collaboration ‘Africa Express’ will then head out to an equally spontaneous jam in London, minus Femi.
I was intrigued to find out that Africa Express is Bob Geldof’s brainchild, as penance for his sins and the (deserved) gra-gra he got for snubbing African artists at Live 8 (2005).
Update: Correction – Africa Express was conceived by Damon Albarn and not Bob Geldof – Source.
See: Africa Express (a lovely welcome by Salif Keita)
There’ll be other Felabration happenings besides live gigs. Anyone who dey London wey wan come, click for details: Fela Kuti 70 at Cargo
This is an afrobeat extraveganza celebrating Fela Kuti’s birthday – he would have been 70. Although many people know Fela’s recording from the 1980’s and beyond, this night is about Fela at his funkiest – the 1970’s.
There will also be an exclusive exhibition showing 70 (keeping with the theme) original Fela Kuti vinyls, as well as never-before-seen photographs and some Fela inspired art.
I leave you with one of my Fela favourites: Lady
If you call a woman African woman no go ‘gree
She go say I be lady o
She go say him equal to man
She go say him get power like man
She go say anything man do himself fit do
She go wan make you open door for am
[The best bit]
I never tell you finish
I never tell you finish
==
* To the tune of Celebration by Kool and The Gang
