Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti was a Nigerian hero, a political insurrectionist, who was meant to be a doctor, an upstanding member of Nigeria’s elite like his father, an Anglican pastor who had founded the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and his mother, an aristocrat, nationalist and fiery feminist who had won the Lenin peace prize.
Fela’s award cabinet was empty when he was alive.
According to his son Seun Kuti, “My father did not receive any award while alive because he was not invited to any.”
But Fela was rather a man of incorruptible principles, who declined and rejected the overt invites of the state.
Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti was a Nigerian hero, a political insurrectionist, who was meant to be a doctor, an upstanding member of Nigeria’s elite like his father, an Anglican pastor who had founded the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and his mother, an aristocrat, nationalist and fiery feminist who had won the Lenin peace prize.
His two brothers were already committed to the medical profession to which he was likewise promised. At 20 he would study in England, where his first cousin, Wole Soyinka, was already making waves as a literary lion.
Instead, Fela Ransome-Kuti became infamous, an outlaw musician, declaring himself president of his own “Kalakuta Republic”.
Musician and activist Fela Kuti pioneered Afrobeat music and was repeatedly arrested and beaten for writing lyrics that questioned the Nigerian government.
Rebelling against oppressive regimes through his music, Kuti was arrested 200 times and endured numerous beatings, but continued to write political lyrics, producing 50 albums before he died on August 2, 1997, in Lagos, Nigeria.
Is Nigeria worth it?
While we await an answer, we must not forget people, who have tried to tow this path of aggrieved passion of late. But most important, we must not forget the origin of their grief and griviance.
NNAMDI KANU
Before the lingering hearings surrounding his arrest cloud our memory, it is paramount that we do not forget the herdsmen rampage in the South of Nigeria, and the masses’ helplessness that stemmed his agitation.
Most remarkable in the South-east was April 2016, when Fulani herdsmen attacked the village of Ukpabi, Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area in Enugu State.
In anguish over the devastation and massacre, one of the community leaders, Dr Ajokwu George, had appealed to the state government to come to their aid, as their community had become a hunting ground for herdsmen.
He said,
“We are not really happy because our community is under threat, we have been burying our loved ones. We are more worried because in this case, we even alerted the security agents that these people were planning to attack us, but nothing was done.
“As we speak, we’ve recovered over 20 corpses and we are still recovering more. Several others are in the morgue and in the hospitals. What did we do to deserve this? We are really pleading that something be done. Our women have been raped and killed and nothing has happened.
“What has happened is just the tip of an iceberg because we know they will come again. The way they invaded our community and raped women before their husbands is worrisome. We need security here not just for a day or week, but for months to protect us. We thank you for coming to empathise with us and we want you to deliver our people from this problem,” he pleaded.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THIS APPEAL?
Almost immediately, the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, broke down in tears and called for fasting and prayers for two days to seek God’s intervention.
“We are going to seek God’s intervention in this matter. It is my belief that this too will pass away. The entire people of Enugu State are with you in this moment of grief,” Ugwuanyi assured the victims.
As an afterthought, suspecting the people were about to cast aside the chains of religious bondage and sentiment, the governor also sued for peace.
In the Nigerian lingua franca, we would say the people were about to “cut rope”.
God must have stared at the weapons at the government disposal, and wondered why the governor was fasting and praying.
SUNDAY IGBOHO
Currently imprisoned in Benin, he is wanted in Nigeria for his role in the agitation for a Yoruba nation.
Born on 10 October 1972 at Igboho town, located in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, Nigeria, he gained social media attention in January 2021 when he gave an ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa to vacate the land after the killing of Dr. Aborode and enforced same.
DJ SWITCH
On 20.10.20 my life changed — DJ Switch
“On this day, last year we were filled with hopes that young Nigerians took a solid stand at the Lekki tollgate.
“Through all the government’s antics, lies, counter protesters and thugs that were sent to attack us… we stood our ground!
“When the Nigerian government exhausted all their poorly planned tactics, they unleashed nothing short of EVIL on its citizens.
“I’ve not been able to talk today… and I cannot imagine what others who had it worse, feel!
“I am so proud of our young generation of leaders and our celebrities that have shown great leadership.
“I also must say, it is not a one-day affair… this is a fight for the very fabric of our nation!
“My life changed on this day… for worse! But, I also believe it changed for good! I now know what it means to need something so bad… and that need for me is a better Nigeria!
“To the youths who risked it all today in order to remember 20.10.20, are in every bit Superman/Superwoman!
Considering all we suffer as citizens, that majority will still settle back to watch as though in a cinema, as people take turns in trials and court sessions for speaking up
then I believe Nigerians are not angry enough.
They are not fed-up enough, if repentant Boko Haram terrorists are yet to get this much parade and degradation.
As long as we remain people, who are complacent
Who are angry at one moment, and scuffle in silence at the sign of trouble
the saying will always be proven
that truth is indeed an orphan
Gloria Ogo
