Editorials Opinion and Analysis
Coming home
April 2011
A BROADWAY musical about Fela Kuti, Nigeria's hedonistic father of afrobeat, a fusion of jazz, funk and traditional African rhythms, came to Lagos over Easter weekend. Fela! won awards galore in New York and packed out theatres in London. But the show's toughest test was always going to be winning over the frenetic city where Kuti had his commune and nightclub.
From his middle-class roots in the nearby town of Abeokuta, to his fiery critiques of Nigeria's military rulers in the 1970s and 1980s, Lagosians know Kuti's story by heart. Fourteen years after his death, his songs still blare out of car radios. His sons still play gigs at the Shrine, his dope-fuelled nightclub.
Nigerians seemed thrilled with the show on its opening night. They sang along with all the songs. They laughed when dancers held up signs bearing the names of past rulers during Kuti's hit "International Thief Thief". One audience member shouted "Pass!" when the actor playing Kuti lit a fake spliff.
The show highlighted much about Nigeria today. The performances took place at the Eko Hotel, the swankiest venue in Lagos. This might have seemed odd given Kuti's image as a man of the people. But Nigeria's middle class, although still small, is growing. Foreign companies selling smartphones and furniture polish say sales are rising in Africa's most populous country. A significant chunk of Lagosians can afford to spend 5000 naira ($32) on a theatre ticket.
"Fela's music stands for the people on the street," said Duro Ikujenyo, who used to play keyboards in one of Kuti's bands, and who attended the show. "But his music was not to keep those people on the streets; it was to elevate them."
Meanwhile, many Nigerians say Kuti's lyrics about those who "passy passy" cash are as apt as ever. While Goodluck Jonathan, who was re-elected as president last week, enjoys some public support, many view the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) as deeply corrupt after more than a decade in power.
James Ibori, a former PDP state governor, was this month extradited to Britain to face 25 charges related to money laundering and fraud. Nigeria's anti-graft body has accused Mr Ibori of stealing $292m of public money; its probes into other politicians often drag on for years without conclusion. Little wonder that Kuti's son Seun today sings in one of his tracks: "We get problems for house, we get problems for school...our leaders no care for us."
Source: The Economist
