In 1997, the funeral of Fela drew more than a million crowds in a seven kilometre match from Tafawa balewa square on the Lagos Island, to his residence in Ikeja on the mainland. The Afrobeat Pilgrimage scheduled for Lagos Nigeria has a promise to bring more than the one million people present at Fela's funeral. Remembered as a giant, genius and hero in obituaries and editorials published innewspapers after his death, Fela left as part of his legacy afrobeat - a world wide music classic.
There is no question today with regards to the success of afrobeat as a musical classic - rich with political motivations and cultural interests, the two important reasons behind the success of jazz and reggae music as world classics. In the United States and Europe, the sound of afrobeat inspires and fuels musical genres from hip-hop to house music. Several re-mix projects by electronic music's toast-makers further confirm its influence on today's urban dance music.
The message of Fela propagated through his music, made him a role model to a lot of today’s protest and engaged artistes. It is also responsible for his popularity among the underclass as well as the intelligentsias in Africa and her Diaspora. For more than three decades, Fela was a vocal critic of colonial and neo-colonial influence and heritage in Nigeria and Africa in general.
What is the state of afrobeat music today almost ten years after the demise of its originator? What impact has it world-wide as protest music? To answer these questions, it is best to take a trip to Nigeria the roots – the phenomenon that gave birth to afrobeat. As mentioned in the tribute to Segun Damisa on our website, planning is approaching top gear level to mark with a big celebration the first decade, of the passing of the creator and King of afrobeat Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. A celebration, that would assemble all groups playing afrobeat world-wild at the Africa Shrine Lagos Nigeria, in a-week long musical pilgrimage and street carnival.
Unlike the 1997 funeral procession mentioned above, these week-long events marking the tenth anniversary of Fela’s demise will open with members of the afrobeat musical family taking part in a Brazilian style musical carnival, with giant masquerades, acrobats and cultural dances through the streets of Lagos from Tafawa Balewa square on the Lagos Island to the New Africa Shrine in Ikeja on the mainland. Subsequently, the carnival will be followed by four nights of live concerts at the New Africa Shrine from all groups participating in the afrobeat pilgrimage.All these events will be filmed and recorded with the objective of producing CDs and DVDs.
Plans are underway for two-way charter flights from New York, London and Paris for interested individuals or groups. With a package including hotel accommodation and ground transport for participants at a price yet to be determined. Obviously, the more we are the cheaper the price will be and the merrier of course. All afrobeat family interested in taking part in this week-long event should please inscribe in the space indicated soon on this website.
Convinced as we are that “music is the weapon that will bring Africa back on the world map” let us make this return back to the roots of afrobeat music the beginning.
Mabinuori Kayode IDOWU (aka ID)
