Fela’s family applauds volunteering bands at Felabration

IT was a showing of love to fellow African artistes at Day 3 of Felabration at the New Afrika Shrine by members of the Fela Anikulapo-Kuti family as the former  took to the stage to fete them during the 21st edition of the annual festival.

It started with Fela’s daughter, Yeni Kuti, who dragged Siti and the Band from Zanzibar, Tanzania, back on stage after their performances, urging festival attendees to show them more love.

“These people came all the way from Tanzania by themselves,” Yeni who is also called YK told the audience. “Please show them love.”

Afterwards, the first son of the late Afrobeat founder, Femi Kuti, joined the Togo All Stars in a cameo. Armed with his Saxophone, Femi blew on his horns to the admiration of the band as well the enjoyment of the audience.

Soon after, when AK 47, a band which played two of Fela’s tracks – ‘Sorrow, Tears and Blood’ and ‘Why Black Man Dey Suffer’ came on stage, Femi’s son, Made, joined them. And like his father and grandfather, he demonstrated his dexterity with the Saxophone.

Other artistes that performed on Wednesday at the New Afrika Shrine included Po Bo from France, Fuji hip hop sensation Terry Akpala, CDQ, ‘Joromi’ crooner, Simi, and Timaya, among others.

Since it was inaugurated 21 years ago by Yeni Kuti to immortalise the memory of her father who died on August 2, 1997, Felabration, which has the New Afrika Shrine as its primary base, remains the biggest all-week Nigerian concert where both established and upcoming local and international bands perform free for Fela’s fans. The other notable venue in Lagos where Felabration was celebrated was at Freedom Park on Broad Street.

Felabration which officially began on October 15, 2018 will end on Sunday, October 21, 2018, featuring different activities such as Secondary School Debate competition, Fela Debates, Arts competition, Afrobics competition and Dance competition. This year, Yeni also announced that other segments are going to be introduced as Felabration is not all about music but also an avenue to push developmental initiatives which her father was passionate about.