Fela 20 Years After!

Today, August 2nd makes it exactly 20 years since the inglorious demise of legendary musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Born on October 15, 1938, Fela died of complications relating to AIDS in 1997. He was a fighter, teacher and activist whose music and ideology continue to live after him two decades after.

Fela Kuti was born into a family of activists. His father, the late Reverend Dotun Ransome-Kuti was the pioneer President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers while his mum, the famous Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a vocal activist who fought for the right of women. She is celebrated to have been the first Nigerian woman to drive a car.

Fela on the other hand combined both traits of his parents to become a musical activist using his songs to lash out at successive government’s maladministration. Fela was a radical who never conformed with the norms. He didn’t play the popular Juju or Highlife music which were in vogue in Nigeria at the moment but chose to start his own genre of music which he termed Afrobeat, a fusion of jazz and African musical instruments.

Today, Fela’s legacy remains rife as he has ever since been the biggest influence to new generation acts with many taking the genre to international heights.

In July, Haitian music great, Wyclef Jean dropped a new single titled Fela Kuti off his upcoming album.