February 21, 2021
It’s nearly a quarter of a century since Fela Kuti passed away. Yet, the influence of his music and pan-Africanist thoughts hasn’t stopped. Fela was notorious for the deployment of his Afrobeat as a critical tool against human rights violations, social injustice and insensitive-cum-inept leadership in Africa. And the conversation as to who best fits the profile of a successor has continued unabated.
Many Nigerian artists have gone as far as naming themselves as the reincarnation of Fela. From Dede Mabiaku’s endless references to his closeness to the Abami Eda the name Fela gave himself a Yoruba phrase that roughly translates to “the strange one” and Chief Priest, to Charles ‘Charly Boy’ Oputa’s antics, a few have pretended to be made of the sort of defiant stuff at Fela’s core.
The truth remains that no artist through Nigeria’s postcolonial years has contributed close to what Fela did – and continues to do - for human rights and social justice.
The quest to identify Fela s successor: why it s time to end it zimbabwestar.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from zimbabwestar.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The quest to identify Fela s successor: why it s time to end it menafn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from menafn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.