It was the strange one who once famously dismissed democracy as a demonstration of craze. In times like this and while waiting for the final outcome of the presidential slugfest, it is meet to recall the life and times of Nigeria’s most illustrious social gadfly, cultural iconoclast and iconic musical mega-star, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Fela’s concrete contributions to the concept of mental decolonization are as legion as his nasty melees with the military authorities. At a point, Fela had to take an advert in a small corner of a national newspaper to direct readers’ attention to the fact that he had not worked in over a hundred days due to military invasion of his rogue Republic known as Kalakuta. Ironically the enclave itself, magically cordoned off by the sheer power of narcotic fumes and verbal fulmination, was a favourite watering hole of many of the leading lights and lightning rods of military oligarchy.
For many who grew up around Mushin and Idi –Oro in the sixties and seventies, the sight of a brand new Mercedes car with its roof carriage laden with firewood cruising around leisurely for all to see was a symbol of wealth demystification at its most outlandish. It was Fela’s stunt. He did not stop at that. Gradually, the dress began to come off until only the briefs remained. And even the briefs became briefer. This was a classic instance of the authentic anti-colonial class covertly waging its last war against the emergent pro-colonial class of cultural slaves and carpetbaggers.
Anikulapo means he who carries death in the pouch of his machete. Fela also carried a deadly wit in his ancestral verbal pouch. Like his Yoruba people who are celebrated verbal warriors, Fela sometimes managed to kill two birds with one stone, often directly shooting at a target while making a sly dig at another opponent. This morning, we bring you a few snippets from Fela’s famous pouch of wit and verbal wonder.
(1) To a fan, heckling him during a torrid performance: Who be dat one wey him mouth big past Aikhomu’s mouth? (Admiral Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu was military vice president to General Ibrahim Babangida)
(2) When the late icon, Tai Solarin ran into trouble after choosing to serve on the board of People’s Bank , Fela responded with friendly fire: Kai, kai, government na wicked people. Dem know say baba don old and him head no correct again. Dem come put am for one yeye bank so dat him go dey sleep and dem mala boys go dey thief money yanfunyafun.
(3) When it was rumoured that a famous Yoruba juju musician has put Dele, his lead singer, in the family way, Fela burst into a famous Yoruba ditty: Esu l’ons’onimoto to pami l’aja, esu lons’onimoto to pami laja ooo. Aja ti mofi p’oya meta meta, dende oro re…. (May the devil take the soul of the motorist who has killed my favourite hunting dog.)
(4) When he was told that the former boss of NDLEA, the dreaded, no-nonsense General Bamaiyi, wanted to have a word with him in his office concerning drug abuse, Fela asked the emissaries to tell their boss to forget the nonsense. As everybody should know, Bamaiyi the elder was a fierce and fearsome old Zuru warrior who rose through the ranks and was as touchy as he was irascible. Reaching for his charms and favourite military pistol, Bamaiyi began preparations for his last military offensive. When Fela was informed that the portentously mustachioed war veteran was about to personally carry out his order, he (Fela) quickly changed tack and got the message across that he was going to honour the invitation. But trust the Abami Eda to have the last words. Ha you see, dis one no be Bamaiyi ooo, dis one na baamaayi, he explained to his retinue.
Leave a Reply