ABAMI EDA

Abami Eda is a Yoruba word which means the strange one, and for somebody to be particularly strange is not a very common thing in our days. Fela Anikulapo Kuti is not a strange name in the Nigerian Music Industry but he is a very mysterious and strange being. Fela as he is called is the founder is the popularly known AFROBEAT. Yass!! Afrobeats are nice beats and our 21st century musicians even make use of it, it's even recognized internationally.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti was born in Ikenne area of Ogun state and his mother as we all know was the first woman to ride a car, Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti and his father was peculiarly a pastor and a talented pianist. His mother, was an anti colonialist,anti military and a great supporter of Nigerian Home rule. Little wonder that he was exposed to both music and politics at a very tender age. However, his being a musician was something his parents were not interested in and therefore they sent him abroad to study medicine, they wanted him to be a doctor just like every other African Parent. He got to London and shifted attention to music as he even studied music. As a nationalist that he was, he didn't want to study European musicians again, he formed his Afrobeats and started a music band known as KOOLA LOBITHOS . He started Afrobeats so that he could remind those Africans that has now copied the European style of doing music due to imperialism.
He started his shrine and a club known as Kalakuta Republic, popularly known as Shrine. And this is where he always displayed his strangeness. He married 27 wives ( like who does that? Lol) and he wears panties on stage (which present day musician can do this?). He smokes( jumbo size, I heard) and at a certain point he pulled his panties off during an interview to show the pressmen what the politicians did to him when they wiped his ass ( ewww.. I can't even imagine,lol) .

Fela Anikulapo Kut

Most of all, Fela was s strong nationalist, no wonder some of the lyrics of his songs explain what politicians and colonialist did. ,One of the lyrics of his songs...they brought sorrow, tears and blood there regular trade mark...he was talking about the colonial masters. Elderly ones said when fela was alive nothing was hidden in the top government as he always had them in his songs giving reasons why politicians of those times tried to destroy his popular shrine. A press release from the United Democratic Front of Nigeria on the occasion of Fela's death noted: "Those who knew you well were insistent that you could never compromise with the evil you had fought all your life. Even though made weak by time and fate, you remained strong in will and never abandoned your goal of a free, democratic, socialist Africa." (allmusic.com).

My own view is that if Fela was alive, I think top government secrets will be transparent to the masses. His death took a toll on the music industry, nobody has ever come out plain concerning anything partaining to government, religious leaders and even on individuals (as he talked about bleaching too). He was a par with a legend also, Bob Marley. We had such great people in our world but who can put on their shoes again? It's saddening that despite all he tried to fight for a free,Democratic and socialist Africa, it is still unobtainable in our present world. Despite all the torture he went through from Nigerian politicians, he didn't lose his ground and he wouldn't compromise for what he stood for.
He was truly a strange and mysterious being. He lost his life to AIDS ( he was a sexist, big time) and even I feel smoking could have shortened his life span ( Quick warning: Smokers are liable to die young).