*THE PROPHET TO A DEAF NATION *
Good day my dear friend and family.
Under the tree listening to Fela Anikulapo kuti music, I started meditating on the lyrics of his songs. Oh boy the words are so powerful and I feel I should share some things with you.
The singer died August 1997 about 23 years ago , so sad that most of the things he sang about has not changed till date.
*Please Take your time to read this analysis of ten of his songs* 👇🏿
*10 Fela Songs That Are Still Relevant In year 2020 that’s 23Years After His Death*
1. Original Sufferhead (1981)
This song describes the problems and sufferings that abound in Africa as a continent, despite its rich resources. He condemns the ‘big big man’ and ‘white man’ for taking up everything and leaving nothing but suffer and anguish for the average African man.
This song, released over 21years ago sadly still applies greatly. The economic disparity between Africa and other continents is displayed in the fact that basic resources like food, water, electricity and the likes are still unavailable to a large number of people living in this part of the world. Such disparities are even found within countries, where we have the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
2. Suffering and Smiling (1977)
Fela describes the life of the average Nigerian who is constantly suffering, but smiling through the pain, believing in the rewards that await them in the afterlife due to the teachings of religious leaders, who themselves live the most lavish lives, enjoying the so-called earthly pleasures. He warns people to open their eyes to this injustice and stop being blind followers of religion.
Things haven’t changed much today, as people still blindly follow religion (and religious leaders), without necessarily understanding its true meaning.
3. International Thief Thief (I.T T.) (1980)
Fela uses the abbreviation of International Telephone & Telegraph (IT&T) to directly attack the company’s CEO, Moshood Abiola, and other politicians like Obasanjo who continuously betray the continent and their fellow Africans in their bid to get rich off the white man’s wealth.
This song is relevant in today’s world as seen in the violence that goes on in the Niger Delta as a result of the insufficient resources and recognition that the region is given despite being the major supplier of oil and the bulk of the county’s wealth.
Politicians are still looting, extorting and selling out their people in their bid to get richer.
4. Authority Stealing (1980)
This song, like may others, talks about how the government steals and loots the country’s resources on a daily and goes unpunished, while the petty thief gets killed and burned on a daily basis. For him, the people in authority are just civilized thieves who get away with their crimes because of their position.
Our government still steals from us and feeds us lies and we let them get away with it. The petty thief gets thrown in jail while the political robbers remain scot free and given liberty to continue looting.
5. Coffin for Head of State (1981)
This song also condemns politicians. Here, he speaks about the corruption that abounds in religion, especially by hypocritical leaders like Obasanjo and Yar’adua. These leaders were the most corrupt people in the world, killing and stealing from innocent people, yet they openly condemn such activities and hide behind Christianity and Islam.
Today, we still see a great deal of corruption and hypocrisy in the guise of leadership and religion. Our leaders are still stealing from us, but yet are the quickest to attend church programs and quote bible verses.
6. Beasts Of No Nation (1989)
This song talks about the many unusual happenings in the country and how the citizens all behave like crazy people. It touches political, economic, social matters and talks about the silence of the Nigeria people against government oppression and brutality while speaking up against apathy in foreign nations like South Africa. According to him, these could only happen in a crazy world.
This song remains relevant today as the same hypocrisy and silence in the face of government injustice is still the order of the day in our beloved country and continent as a whole.
7. Yellow Fever (1971)
In this song, Fela warns about the dangers of skin bleaching that was becoming a trend for women. He lists the many unappealing aspects of bleaching and tells women that they were better off leaving their skin in its natural form.
Today, bleaching has become even more rampant than in the times of Fela. According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria has the highest number of women in the world who use skin-lightening products.
8. Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense (1980)
This song highlights the fact that the white man seems to be living our lives for us, while they make their own decisions based on their culture and tradition. The white man, instead of condemning the bad leadership that goes on here, overlooks them while doing the exact opposite in their own countries.
He condemns the so-called democracy and begs Africans to open their eyes and realize that they are being misled and stolen from.
Today, instead of drawing away from the chains of colonialism, we still rely on foreign countries to help us make some of our major decisions and try to imitate every aspect of their lives, forgetting our cultures and traditions in the process.
9. Colonial Mentality (1977)
He speaks about the fact that Africans have colonial mentality and still live in the past despite having gained independence. They embrace everything foreign and believe theirs to be inferior, from basic things like food and clothes down to their names and religious practices.
This song is still very relevant today, as Africans in general would rather purchase foreign made products and would use foreign names instead of their traditional ones. *Even Presidents go for treatment in foreign countries instead of developing their own health care system* .
10. Confusion Break Bone (1990)
This song talks about the confusion that abides in the country and the lack or proper organisation. His tone here sounds sadder and more resigned to the fact that things might never get better for the country. He highlights all the problems he had mentioned in his earlier songs and says that nothing has changed and wonders at the insanity of things.
Nothing has changed today. The country is still in a permanent state of disorderliness and disunity. *The government still gets away with being corrupt and unjust, and the innocent man still gets punished for crimes committed.*
Furthermore, 23 years isn’t that a very longtime how much more some of songs were released as far back as 1971, 1977 etc. We are heading to a very tough time in this nation, I wish we can use this season COVID19 pandemic lockdown to think about what *we can do for our nation first*
When we take up this challenge it will spread to those in authority.
Any leader you don’t like please and please vote your conscience stop this attitude that the old Politicians are more experienced than the young ones this has been counterproductive. *Is there anyone regretting voting for some people 🤔* For example if you as an accountant is elevated to the position of the chief accountant/CEO of your company will you reject it. If you won’t then vote right at the appropriate time.
Let’s task our representatives no time to pamper them.
Fela has done his own part and gone to great beyond. Fela’s ITT album says *”water plenty for Africa but e no dey, dem dey tell us nau , na 1990 dem go give us water”* Year 2020 (30years after) where are we?
What legacy are you leaving for your generation think about think thanks.
Finally, if you can take your time to search for evergreen songs by Fela, Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, osita osadebe etc so much to learn from them in this period of lockdown.
*Let them provoke you to good works Nigeria can still be great again with the cooperation of you and I.
God Bless Africa
Very Truly Yours
Evang Deja Vu
