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Prof. Akin Oyebode and some other African activists, yesterday, commended the contributions of the late Afro-beat musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti to societal transformation.
Oyebode, professor of international law and jurisprudence, and others spoke at the 2019 Felabration Debate, with the theme, “Teacher Don’t Teach me Nonesense,” in Alausa, Ikeja.
Felabration is a festival of music and arts commemorating the life and times of Fela Anikulakpo Kuti, which was conceived by his eldest child, Yeni, in 1998.
Oyebode described the late Afro-beat musician as an iconoclast and a musical genius who was able to effect societal change through his music.
He said Fela used his music to give confidence to Nigerians and contributed to national development.
“Fela was the greatest African musician who demonstrated how African values had been eroded by putting firewood on his newly purchased Mercedes Benz.
“His music never dies due to the strong messages they convey; his music remains indelible, his heritage has survived more than 20 years and will go forever,” he said.
A Ugandan musician and activist, Robert Kyagulanyi, said the late afro-beat maestro was a man who lived before his time, and was silenced before the emergence of social media.
He said Fela had explored music as the most powerful means of communication and as an agent of promoting social change in communities.
A British journalist and activist, Kingslee Daley, also known as ‘Akala’, also called on people to always seek for knowledge and not take whatever nonsense they were taught, while Nigerian playwright, Sefi Atta, said Fela’s performance was outstanding when compared with other musicians who only tagged themselves as activists.
