Onabanjo Oladipupo
@onabanjooladipupo260111
1 year ago
FELA LIVES ON
Remembering Fela (1)
FELA: TIME FOR YABIS
By 'Dipo Onabanjo
When man see woman
He hold im hand,
He carry am go im house
He carry am inside room
And lock (u) door, gbam!
The thing we dem dey do
Behind the door
Wey them lock with padlock,
With key
Na poi!
- Fela, 1976
TO SOME PEOPLE, THE above lines are suggestive and vulgar. But only few can deny the truth behind them. The act described above is what many of us do everyday. What I intend to do today is Yabis, a la Fela Anikulapo, the legendary music merchant and sage who passed away last Saturday.
Like Fela’s yabis, I will mix truth with a bit of vulgarity. I therefore crave the indulgence of my readers to understand and cooperate with me. I only hope that this exercise will not end up in a Roforofo Fight when Everything (go) scatter thus bringing about a Rere Run situation, an Upside Down and Palaver that may lead to everybody being dragged to Alagbon Close like Zombies.
But, I tell you this is a Sakara Oloje (an empty boast) that has nothing to do with Expensive Shit which is a by-product of a Jeun ko’ku (Wackie/chop and die). Even if we agree that this Noise for Vendor Mouth can cause Sorrow, Tears and Blood for some Opposite People, the millions of Shufferin (suffering) and Shmilin (smiling) Nigerians, Africans and the blacks in the diaspora must be told the truth about Authority Stealing and the operations of International Thief Thief in today’s world, particularly in Africa where there is too much Original Sufferhead.
True, between Fela and this writer, there was No Agreement today – and there cannot be any tomorrow – to publish titles of Fela’s songs some of which have railed against the Unknown Soldier “wey burn Fela house”, the ‘Unknown police’ “wey kill nine students”. All “is equal to unknown government” which caused Confusion even when a Kalakuta Show was making a “yeye rolling” with a JJD (Johnny Just Drop) in attendance.
Excuse o, if I am boring you, but rest assured that there cannot be any Stalemate in any discussion about an Abami Eda (a strange person) whose Coffin for Head of State was rejected at Dodan Barracks as a result of Ikoyi Blindness. Fela, it was who told us Why Blackmen Dey Suffer and about the Monkey Banana business between Nigerian workers and their employers. He said we should Fear Not for man, but in a society where Overtake Don’t Overtake Overtake (ODOO) and everybody has become a Beast of No Nation (BONN) the recurrent problem has been No Buredi (Bread) and everybody is hungry.
The Gentleman neighbour and friend has remained unemployed for years because many companies Open and Close nowadays. He Miss Road he who believes that today’s Lady will engage in Bend Bend sleep or dance with anyone without using condom because the fear of AIDS is the beginning of wisdom nowadays. Although Fela taught us that AIDS “na Oyinbo man’s disease", there is still some sense in his warning: Teacher Don’t Teach me Nonsense. Am I sounding incoherent like some-body who smokes “African Grass” (Igbo or Wee-Wee)? Well, “Never Mind Never mind, a de do my business, a de do my job”!
Now, “Africans, listen to me as Africans, and you non-Africans, listen to me with open mind, “Fela don yamutu patapata. No be me talk am, Na im brother, Olikoye, talk am". Therefore, we and Fela “no be (in) the same category, o”. He can no more engage in Perambulation, turning right and left” all for nothing, no progress, no profit.”
The different albums mentioned above capture Fela’s ribald humour albeit laced with trenchant pleas for social justice for the people. Fela’s music is captivating, and at times, very erotic. More often, it is the erotic part of it that offends the taste of some people. Fela’s mode of dress and the many brushes he had with the law made some people detest him and held him as a bad example to the youth.
All this notwithstanding, Fela’s music, to many of his fanatical fans, has this orgasmic flavour. Even the dancing steps are suggestive: the rhythmic rolling of the hips, limbs and all other dancing accessories, particularly the buttocks and the boobs (for women) combine beautifully with the penetrating soul-inspiring messages and vibes from the saxophone and the (conga) drums. The orgasmic effect of all these is enough to rouse needles of desire in the opposite sex, the fact that ‘AIDS is real’ notwithstanding.
To many like me, it is therefore not a surprise that the legendary musician was felled by the dreaded scourge, AIDS. The surprise is how he managed to survive the sexual trauma which he reportedly subjected his body to for that long. Those who knew him call him a sex machine who exploded beautifully into every of his partners. The intensity of his music manifested in his sexual act and everything blended beautifully.
With over 40 albums to his credit, Fela contributed his best to the music world. He may have also contributed to the spread of AIDS. If the latter is a dark spot on his life and times, he deserved what he got in return. The believers in the Holy Writ say the wages of sin is death. And, I dare say that the wages of unbridled sexual indulgence or Na poi or bend-bend dance is AIDS, and eventual death. May the soul of this lover of man (and woman) rest in perfect peace, amen.
Well, "Yabis don end, second base jare!"
**First published in The Punch on August 7, 1997. Mr. Onabanjo was then a columnist and member of the newspaper's Editorial Board.