If the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti were still alive, he would be 80 years tomorrow. Age would have mellowed him down alright, but his music would continue to evolve mellifluously, reaching out to new levels of creativity, along with the path of Classical African Music which he began in 1986 with the landmark album, Beasts of no nation.
If Fela was still living, he would be ‘looking’ and ‘laughing’ derisively now in utter vindication, at the current state of the Nigerian nation where almost all the predictions he made and the accusations he levelled against successive governments in terms of corruption and bad governance are visibly manifesting themselves. After all, he fought hard to stem this ugly tide – from the 70s to the 90s, using his music as a weapon.
I was watching some of his recorded live performances on the night of August 2, 2018 courtesy of Hip Television, an entertainment channel which has become reputed for direct identification with its target audience in terms of local content: apparently, this special programme was intended to remember the day Fela died in 1997.