Felabration 2014: October 13 to 19 “Who No Know Go Know”

Felabration 2014: October 13 to 19 “Who No Know Go Know”popafrica.com

Felabration 2014 is set to  kick off at the Shrine on October 12 with the premiere of Finding Fela, a documentary about Fela’s life. There will also be gigs at the Shrine every day of the week featuring King Sunny Ade, KWAM 1, 2face, Wizkid, and over 20 other artistes. It’s the occasion that many Fela fans anticipate every year, and as the theme of this year says, “Who no know go know.”

Felabration is the annual festival of music and arts commemorating the life and times of Nigerian’s foremost musical icon, the late great Fela Anikulakpo Kuti. As a music brand, it’s revered and highly influential.

The idea and concept of Felabration as an annual celebration of Fela’s music, life and times, originated from his eldest child Yeni who conceived it in 1998. With the exception of 1999, Felabration has taken place yearly. Currently Felabration, organized by the Felabration Organising Committee has grown into a mega week-long musical event in Nigeria which attracts thousands of visitors annually to the New Africa Shrine from all over the world and is an official tourist destination of The Lagos State Government who are major sponsors of the event. Over the years Felabration has attracted many high class musical acts from all over the world. The roll call include Hugh Masakela, Femi Kuti, Lucky Dube, Awilo, Baba Maal, Les Nubians, King Sunny Ade, Lagbaja, Asa, TuFace, Seun Kuti and many others. In 2008, over 50 international artistes came together from the United States, Great Britain, France and Senegal to perform at Felabration under the banner, African Express. Every year Felabration features exciting line ups of artistes designed to whet the appetite of music lovers. The Felabration Week always runs through the week of October that includes the 15th ensuring that Fela’s posthumous birthday celebrations are part of the Festival.

As the creator of afrobeat, social critic, political activist and champion of the underprivileged as well as a philosopher of his own political ideologue, Fela is still today a hero to millions for his contributions to society. The festival in his honour always attracts a huge loyal following. Every year Felabration attracts over 100 artistes both locally and internationally.
Our festivals always include various creatively diverse activities. ‘The Fela Debates’, symposium series, the secondary schools debate for schools in Lagos State, Dance Troupes, Photo Exhibitions, The Fela Street Carnival Parade with musical floats and costumed dancers The Fela Week Partners events and much more. We offer an exhilarating week-long festivity celebrating the iconic status of Africa’s best known musical figure, and best of all, it remains mostly free!

Fela died 17 years ago at 59, but he’s arguably the most revered Nigerian musician ever and remains a big inspiration to many Nigerians till date because of his evocative music and revolutionary views.

In the New Afrika Shrine, preparations are presently under way for the festival. Right from the entrance to the farthest corners of the house, the ambience, decor and features of this historic place expressly reflect Fela’s legacies. There’s the house centre where guests can sit, have a drink and watch live music on the stage. By the right, there’s an actual shrine with a couple of statues on the ground and a characteristic Fela outfit, slim fit yellow shirt and trousers to match, hanging from the top of the shrine.

There are boards on the walls of the building bearing philosophical and political messages. An interesting one shows a cut of the Punch’s front page story some time ago where Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo bicker at each other and call each other names.

Upstairs at the back of the stage is the administrative part of the building. The walls of the stair case are adorned with many pictures of the Kutis and their friends. There’s a picture of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, one of Femi Kuti and Beninoise singer Angelique Kidjo, one of Fela and the late Burkinabe revolutionary Thomas Sankara, and many more pictures like that. Taking a tour around this Shrine is like taking a walk through Fela’s life. This place is clearly the capital of afrobeats and every other thing in Fela’s world.

BY ROTIMI DARAMOLA