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Tag: Felabration

  • Felabration unveils Look and Laughas 2024 edition theme

    Felabration unveils Look and Laughas 2024 edition theme

    The Felabration Organising Committee has unveiled ‘Look and Laugh’ as the theme for the 2024 edition of Felabration.

    Yeni Kuti, Head of the Felabration Organising Committee, expressed her excitement for this year’s theme, saying: “With ‘Look and Laugh,’ we honour Fela’s legacy by embracing his message of resilience and expression. In a country grappling with record levels of inflation, currency devaluation, and rising food and fuel prices, this year’s theme takes on renewed significance. Felabration 2024 aims to ignite conversations, provoke reflection, and  inspire action, carrying forward Fela’s legacy of social consciousness and innovation through entertainment.”

    Felabration, the annual celebration of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s life, music, and legacy, has long been a cultural touchpoint for music enthusiasts, activists, artists, and fans worldwide. Each year, the festival serves as a rallying point to commemorate Fela’s enduring impact on music, politics, and culture.

    The unveiling of the logo and theme marks the beginning of the journey towards October’s festival, promising an enriching experience for attendees.

    Read Also: How Orijin celebrated Fela’s Legacy at 2023 Felabration

    Drawing from the success of the Festival’s expanded format in recent years, Felabration 2024 will feature staple activities like ‘The Fela Debates’, Afrobics Dance Competition, Secondary School Debate, Art Competition, the Dress Fela Fashion Competition, and the 7-day Music concert.

    The festival is slated to run from Monday, 14 October to Sunday, 20 October 2024.

    ‘Look and Laugh,’ originally released by Fela Kuti in 1980 as part of his album ‘Coffin for Head of State,’ holds a special place in the hearts of many fans, as it remains a true and derisive reflection of the various faces of modern-day corruption.

  • Felabration, culture advisor partner for new edition

    Felabration, culture advisor partner for new edition

    Organisers of Felabration – an annual tribute to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s spirit of creativity and human rights activism – have partnered culture advisory and fulfilment company, The Plug, for 2023 edition.

     The collaboration will see The Plug co-host with Felabration Organisation Committee, led by Yeni Kuti, a discourse on growth and sustenance of African music.

     The new panel addition will be anchored by indie filmmaker and award winning Youtuber, Eniola ‘Korty’ Olanrewaju, and will on October 8.

    The Plug will contribute as a resource agency to support the work of the committee on the ‘Fela Debates’, while supporting publicity, digital visibility as well as driving community engagement.

     Speaking on the collaboration, Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, head of Felabration Festival Organising Committee, said: “Our partnership with The Plug underscores our vision for elevating global view and acceptance of African culture. The Plug has a rich history of community engagement, having hosted some biggest youth festivals out of Africa. We are confident we will highlight diversity of African stories to a diasporic audience.”

     Tobi Mohammed, managing partner, and chief operating officer of The Plug, hailed  the partnership, saying: “We are delighted to have been selected by the committee as one contributors this year.

    Read Also: Felabration 2023 to kick off October 9

     “As one of Africa’s culture advisory, talent management and live events agencies, we promote African creativity and culture, and this provides a platform to broaden visibility of such event. 

    For over two decades, Felabration Organising Committee has grown global understanding and acceptance of African artistry, and our team is eager to leverage opportunity to raise consciousness, while inspiring and forging connections with the community,” Mohammed said.

     Conceived in 1998 by Yeni to honour her father, this year’s celebration is ‘Question Jam Answer’ – drawing from a classic record by Fela released in 1972. The song fits right into the socio-political mood of the country in the aftermath of a highly debated and intriguing election.

    Every year, Felabration features exciting artists designed to satisfy music lovers who throng the New Africa Shrine. Among notable performers of the festival include Hugh Masekela, Femi Kuti, Lucky Dube, Awilo, Baba Maal, Les Nubians, King Sunny Ade, Lagbaja, Asa, TuFace, Seun Kuti, Burna Boy, Wizkid.

     In line with its annual tradition, Felabration 2023 will include  ‘The Fela Debates’ symposium series, Secondary Schools Debate, Afrobics Dance Competition, Art Exhibitions, Art Competitions, and more.

  • Felabration opens artistes portal, says no registration fee

    Organisers of the 2019 edition of Felabration, the yearly festival in honour of the late founder of afrobeats music and socio-political activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, have said there is no registration fee to perform at Felabration.

    This was just as it opened its portal for artistes to perform during the week long fiesta.

    ‘There is no artist registration fee for Felabration 2019,’ it captioned in a statement.

    ‘Anyone asking for a registration fee to perform at Felabration 2019 is not authorised and is a fraudster. If you have paid a registration fee to anyone, kindly immediately report to the nearest police station. Thank you’

    This year’s festival themed ‘From Lagos with Love’ holds between October 14 and October 20 at the New Afrika Shrine and other venues. As usual, it will feature a symposium, music concerts, Afrobics Dance Competition, Secondary School Debates and other events.

    While the symposium which holds on October 14, in Ikeja, Lagos would have ‘Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense’ as its theme, the Schools Debate which holds at Freedom Park, Lagos on October 9, would have ‘No Person Above 70 Should Be Allowed To Contest Political Office’ as the topic.

    And artistes interested in performing during the festival have between May 1, 2019 and August 31, 2019 to send request to the organisers through the email, artists@felabration.net. Also, those who want to participate in the Afrobics Dance Competition have to register on the website, www.felabration.net between May 1, 2019 ad August 31, 2019. And for the artwork competition, artists are to submit their entries which should be on the theme, ‘Teacher, Don’t Teach Me Nonsense!’ between May 1, 2019 to September 15, 2019.

    Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a musician and multi-instrumentalist was born to Reverend Oludotun Ransome Kuti  and Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti in Abeokuta, Ogun State on October 15, 1938. He used his music to address societal ills and was a victim of oppression by the military regime who harassed him frequently and jailed him several times. Seeking emancipation of the black race, Fela sought a betterment in social, economic and political in Africa’s future. He died on August 2, 1997 in Lagos from HIV complications as announced by his late elder brother and former minister of health, Dr. Olikoye Ransome Kuti.

    Felabration was founded by his daughter, Yeni Kuti, as an annual festival to honour the ideals that Fela stood for.

  • Fela’s family applauds volunteering bands at Felabration

    IT was a showing of love to fellow African artistes at Day 3 of Felabration at the New Afrika Shrine by members of the Fela Anikulapo-Kuti family as the former  took to the stage to fete them during the 21st edition of the annual festival.

    It started with Fela’s daughter, Yeni Kuti, who dragged Siti and the Band from Zanzibar, Tanzania, back on stage after their performances, urging festival attendees to show them more love.

    “These people came all the way from Tanzania by themselves,” Yeni who is also called YK told the audience. “Please show them love.”

    Afterwards, the first son of the late Afrobeat founder, Femi Kuti, joined the Togo All Stars in a cameo. Armed with his Saxophone, Femi blew on his horns to the admiration of the band as well the enjoyment of the audience.

    Soon after, when AK 47, a band which played two of Fela’s tracks – ‘Sorrow, Tears and Blood’ and ‘Why Black Man Dey Suffer’ came on stage, Femi’s son, Made, joined them. And like his father and grandfather, he demonstrated his dexterity with the Saxophone.

    Other artistes that performed on Wednesday at the New Afrika Shrine included Po Bo from France, Fuji hip hop sensation Terry Akpala, CDQ, ‘Joromi’ crooner, Simi, and Timaya, among others.

    Since it was inaugurated 21 years ago by Yeni Kuti to immortalise the memory of her father who died on August 2, 1997, Felabration, which has the New Afrika Shrine as its primary base, remains the biggest all-week Nigerian concert where both established and upcoming local and international bands perform free for Fela’s fans. The other notable venue in Lagos where Felabration was celebrated was at Freedom Park on Broad Street.

    Felabration which officially began on October 15, 2018 will end on Sunday, October 21, 2018, featuring different activities such as Secondary School Debate competition, Fela Debates, Arts competition, Afrobics competition and Dance competition. This year, Yeni also announced that other segments are going to be introduced as Felabration is not all about music but also an avenue to push developmental initiatives which her father was passionate about.

  • Timaya prays for fans at Felabration

    Midway in his energetic performance at Felabration at the New Afrika Shrine on Wednesday, hip hop star, Timaya stopped to thank and pray for his fans.

    Kneeling on stage to thank them for making him a star since he started 14 years ago, the artiste who is also known as the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa then asked his fans to raise their hands while he prayed for them.

    “Every spirit of failure, every spirit of poverty, in your family, among your friends, from your mother side, from your father’s side, Holy Ghost,” he prayed, to which the tumultuous crowd gave a roaring “Fire.”

    He then urged the crowd; “Tell your neighbour poverty is not my portion” before he lunged back into singing.

    And apparently in a move to demonstrate how well he has been financially blessed, Timaya threw some cash into the crowd, a move that was quickly discouraged by the organisers of the concert.

  • Soyinka lauds pupils as Felabration Week kicks off with debate

    Secondary school participants in the Felabration 2018 Senior Secondary Schools Debate got rare praise from Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka Wednesday when they took to the stage to debate the topic: “State Police should be implemented in Nigeria” at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island.

    Soyinka who only witnessed part of the first round of the competition, praised the pupils for the points they raised and their eloquence, describing them as promising politicians.

    “We have very promising politicians among us.  I think you (audience) have been listening to some stimulating speeches if what I heard is what you have been listening to.  I was very busy in my office before I was persuaded to join you.  But I would have spared some more time to listen to the inspiring speechers I have heard this morning.  Congratulations to all of you.  I wish you well,” he said.

    But if they are considering politics, Soyinka warned that they have to be better prepared.

    Read Also: Soyinka not leading delegation to Bordeaux

    “Try and distinguish between rhetoric and politics.  Be good speakers but if you are going to get into politics be prepared for some rough time,” he said.

    Ten schools participated in the first round of the competition, which also required all the speakers to tell what they knew about the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who was Soyinka’s first cousin.

    They were whittled down to five in the second stage where they were required to give impromptu talk about topics given to them by the judges.

    At the end of the competition, Rainbow College, Surulere came first, Vivan Fowler, second, and Ipakodo Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, third.  The winner got a laptop, the first runner up, a Samsung tablet; and the second runner up, a Tecno tablet.  All 10 participants got phones, while their schools got keyboards.

  • Felabration holds Afrobics audition Friday

    As part of preparation for this year’s edition of Felabration, auditions for the Afrobics dance competition of the festival will hold on Friday September 28, 2018 at the New Afrika Shrine, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Thirty seven dancers will audition for eight spots to compete during this year’s Felabration at a yet to be announced date. The first prize winner gets N250, 000, second prize winner gets N150, 000 and third prize winner gets N50, 000.

    Judges at this event are award-winning dancer/dance instructor Adedayo Liadi aka IJODEE and Segun Adefila, founder of Crown Troupe. Others are Funke Kuti, Femi Kuti’s ex wife and a renowned dancer and Yeni Kuti, founder of Felabration and creator of the Afrobics dance competition, herself a dancer and dance instructor.

    This is the second edition of the Afrobics Dance Competition which was inaugurated in 2017. It was created to popularise the Afrobeat Dance Styles created and internationalised by Fela Anikulapo Kuti. .

  • Felabration engages students with debate on ‘State Police’

    To celebrate the 21st anniversary of the passing of Afrobeats founder Fela Anikulapo Kuti, secondary school students from 10 schools in Lagos will debate on the topic, ‘Creation of state police in Nigeria’ for this year’s Felabration, the annual festival that holds to honour him.

    The event is scheduled to kick off by 9am at Freedom Park, Lagos on Wednesday October 10, 2018. Take off time is 9am.

    The schools participating in this year’s competition are Ipakode Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, Epe Girls Senior High School, Epe, Herbert Macaulay Senior Girls High School, Sabo Yaba, Ajara Senior Grammar School, Badagry and Ejigbo Senior High School, Ejigbo, Lagos.

    Others include Rainbow College, Surulere, Baptist Academy, Obanikoro, Ikorodu Road, St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, Aunty Ayo International School, Keffi, Ikoyi and Vivian Fowler Memorial College For Girls, Ikeja.

    Though names of judges of the debate are yet to be released, the organizing committee said it is determined to enhance the standard of the debates as it recently organised a capacity building workshop for teachers from the participating schools.

    ‘The mission is for FELABRATION to give back to society by impacting on these kids, the fundamental knowledge required to become world class debaters,’ according to a statement from the Felabration Organising Committee.

    ‘Felabration Secondary Schools Debate was established not only to bring out the best in logical thought processes of the school children, but also, to sensitise them on burning topical national issues. Over the years this segment of the FELABRATION Festival has attracted the best of secondary schools students in Lagos. It has the backing of the Lagos State Ministry of Education. Above all, it is about the biggest debate platform for Lagos secondary schools.’

    Past winners include Vetland College, Ifako Ijaye,  Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos State Model College, Ikosi Agbowa and Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Ikeja.

    Felabration was founded by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, eldest child of Fela, in 1999 and the 2018 edition is the 19th in the series. Fela died on August 2, 1997 at age 58.

  • Freemuse promotes artistic freedom at Felabration

    Freemuse promotes artistic freedom at Felabration

    Freemuse, an international human right organisation advocating and defending artistic freedom, hosted a group of artists, Chicoco Sound Club, in Lagos, to promote Fela’s legacies at this year’s Felabration.

    The organisation, which has its Africa Office based at the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) in Lagos, was represented by the Regional Programme Officer for Africa, Ayodele Ganiu. According to Ganiu, Freemuse was at the 2017 edition of Felabration to support and encourage the Chicoco Sound Club in advancing artistic freedom of expression, a key legacy of the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

    Led by Mark LeVine, Chicoco Sound Club is a revolutionary collective of musicians, singers, rappers and DJs from the US, Europe, Mexico and Africa, based in the Orkika waterfront shanty in Port Harcourt at the Chicoco Media Centre. Joined together by a love of Fela Kuti and the Afrobeat he created, but steeped in the music of the Niger Delta, from traditional rhythms and dialects to the highlife created by the Delta’s favorite son, Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, for the last three years these artists have reimagined and recreated Fela’s most important songs, including “Zombie,” “No Agreement,” “Lady,” “Coffin for Head of State” and “Shakara.” With grooves built around the original beats, bass, horn and guitar lines inflected by local styles and rhythms, and lyrics inspired by Fela but sung and rapped in local languages ranging from Arabic to Amazigh, Farsi to Tsotsil, the resulting songs remind a new generation that Fela’s genius and insights are as relevant today as they were two generations ago.

    The project began literally in a hail of tear gas and chants, during the Egyptian revolution of 2011-13, when Grammy winning guitarist and arranger Mark LeVine and Egyptian “Singer of the Revolution” Ramy Essam realised that Fela’s Zombie described the situation in Egypt today as well as it did Nigeria in Fela’s time. Revolutionary artists from Morocco, Syria, Egypt and Iran joined in, as did Seun Kuti, with the music performed by the Bologna-based Afrofunk group Voodoo Sound Club. So impressive was the energy and creativity of this song that the international artists’ rights organisation Freemuse chose it as the official song for International Music Freedom Day, 2016 and was performed at an historic show by many of the artists involved at the Music Freedom Day festival in Harstad, Norway. Next Malian supergroup Songhoy Blues, inspired by “Zombie,” did their own remake of “Shakara,” singing in Bambara and Touareg, with a blazing sax solo provided by Femi Kuti. Once again, “Shakara” was chosen as the official song for the 2017 International Music Freedom Day.

    LeVine met with the amazing young artists and activists of the Port Harcourt Okrika Waterfront and surrounding Niger Delta communities in his travels through the Delta. Inspired by the profound similarities of their experiences of oppression and dispossession and the Kalakuta-like struggles of the Chicoco community centre (built out of the ashes of the original neighbourhood, where 9,000 homes were destroyed by the government in a single day in 2009), the artists working with the centre immediately took up the challenge, recording a new version of “No Agreement” with lyrics dealing with the struggles of young women against sexism and harassment.

    This became the first collaboration of the “Sessions at the Shed” project, which brings well known artists to the Chicoco community centre to work with the young artists of the area. For their first performance at Felabration, Chicoco Sound Club is thrilled and honoured to be joined by Nigerian highlife singer Adekunle Gold and Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat pioneer Ebo Taylor, one of Fela’s oldest friends and collaborators who first performed in Lagos half a century ago, as well as fellow Ghanaian seprewa and xylophone virtuoso Aaron Bebe Sukura.

    The performance at Felabration was made possible by the British Commonwealth Foundation, Amnesty International and Freemuse which have provided funding and other support for recording for this project and for travel and other expenses related to the performance at Felabration.

  • Wole Soyinka attends ‘Felabration’

    Wole Soyinka attends ‘Felabration’

    Legendary playwright, Wole Soyinka made a surprise appearance at the finale of ‘Felabration’ last Sunday.

    A cousin of the late revolutionary African musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, in whose honour ‘Felabration’ is held every year, an excited Soyinka said; “I am happy to be here to celebrate Fela with everyone.”

    Read More: Ambode unveils Fela’s ‘Liberation Statue’

     The literature professor who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986 is the first African to be honoured in that category.

    The festival which ran for seven days, at the New Afrika Shrine, was put together to celebrate the life and times of the great Fela Kuti.

    Other superstars like Sir Shina Peters, Adewale Ayuba, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tekno, Adekunle Gold, Simi, Wande Coal and Runtown among others graced the Felabration 2017 stage.

    Also, backing ‘Felabration’ 2017 was Nigeria’s stout brand, Legend Extra Stout, which joined millions of Nigerians in the week-long musical event.