6 Interesting Facts About The Legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti
Who is Fela Anikulapo Kuti?
Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a Nigerian Musician. He was from an upper middle-class family from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. He had an early introduction to music in his home and this must have fueled his choice of career. Following his mother’s footsteps, he became an activist who was interested in the idea of Pan-africanism.
Why is Fela So Popular?
Fela’s songs reflected on the state of the country and its people. He is remembered for the many great things he was able to achieve and those he died trying to achieve.
Fela once said, “We should all liberate our minds my brothers and sisters. Black people have to know themselves all over the world, we must accept ourselves as one. Our languages are similar. Check Calabar, Erik, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, they all have words that mean the same thing. Listen America, they took them there as slaves by force. Them come give us book, tell us we sold our people as slaves.
Yes, we must believe it. They taught us that in school. They gave us the book. Like they said Mungo Park discovered River Niger. When he reached there, who did he meet? Did he not meet people there?”
He also said “We only need one good government, one clean and progressive government. No diplomacy, no compromises. No Marxism or capitalism but Africanism.”
Here are 6 interesting facts about the Musical Legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
1. Fela Married Twenty Seven(27) Women In One Day
In 1987, Fela Anikulapo Kuti married twenty seven women in a day. Their names are Fehintola Kayode, Damiregba, Keuwe Oghomienor, Folake Oladeinde, Folake Oladejo, Ronke Edason, Laide, Emaruagheru Osawe, Ihase, Shade Shodeinde, Suru Eriomola, Tejumade Adebiyi, Omolola Osaeti, Tokunbo Akran, Ronke, Adejonwo, Lamiley, Funmilayo, Adunni, Remilekun, Kikelomo, Lara, Bose.
He allegedly married them because of allegations that he was kidnapping these women. Some of them were daughters of prestigious persons in the country. Eight years later, Fela divorced all 27 wives but none of them were thrown out of his home and some of these women remained with him until his death in 1997.
2. Fela Was The Creator Of Afrobeats
When Fela’s “Highlife Jazz” became unpopular in Nigeria, he went on a tour to the United States where he made friends with African American radicals. Through his mother’s influence, Fela decided to make songs that Nigerians could relate to. On returning to Nigeria, Afrobeats was born. He promptly changed his band name from Koola Robitos to Fela Ransom Kuti and The African Seventy.
3. Fela Was An Activist Who Was Arrested Two Hundred Times
In an interview, Fela said these words, “If you are in England, Music can be an instrument of enjoyment. You can sing about love, about whom you will go to bed with next. But in my own environment, my society is underdeveloped because of an alien system on our people. So there is no music for enjoyment, there is nothing like love, just the struggle for existence.”
With his stage, he encouraged activism and liberalism in the youth that came to listen to his music.
4. Fela Dumped A Career In Medicine For Music
Three days after getting to the United Kingdom, Fela changed his mind about studying Medicine and chose music instead. He then went to Trinity College and registered for a course on Classical music.
Fela created his own band, ‘The Koola Lobitos’ which became a rave in London after three years. Fela was playing Highlife, which originated in Ghana, the Nigerian way and people loved it.
5. Fela Tried To Run For President in 1979
He formed his political party called “Movement Of The People”. 100,000 people allegedly came out to support him but the authorities refused the offer.
6. Fela Created His Own Republic
When Fela returned from one of his prison stints, he renamed his commune “The Kalakuta Republic” in which he was president and ruler. He declared it independent of the Nigerian state. The place was said to be peaceful and had amenities such as free health care. It was also a place for youth to gather and debate/discuss matters like politics and philosophy.
References: CGTN Africa
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