While late FelaAnikulapoKuti massively addressed as the AbamiEda lived, it was one week, one trouble with the authorities, especially with the no-nonsense military regime of General OlusegunObasanjo (1976-79) and Buhari/Idiagbon regime later did not find it easy dealing with him.
It is on good source that the late militant hornsman faced their drug case which landed him in jail. The only regime he had respite was the IBB one, which appointed his late brother, Professor OlikoyeRansomeKuti Health Minister. However he was not quite during that regime. Although, he did not attack IBB like others he took headlong.
Till date, the memories of how his face off with the Obasanjo Regime costed him his Kalakuta republic mansion and death of his late mother, Chief Mrs. FunmilayoRansomeKuti, in 1977 is still fresh in our memories.
Expectedly, he protested his loses and recorded a presumable and commercially successful album whose title, lyrics, arrangement and powerful rendition were typical of Fela’s compositions.
This, he followed with subsequent releases with biting commentaries on his perceived dissatisfactory manner of the military regime’s style of administration.
It actually fetched him local and international attention, accompanied by re-sounding applause as a champion of the masses. Although, he really paid dearly for his actions as the military disciplined him expectedly. Since that period, it has been one week, one trouble for Fela. Interestingly the travails did not appear to have cowed his spirit at any given time.
As a result, he suffered many arrests, perhaps at short intervals. This cat and dog scenario continued for long in form of arrests at his Kalakuta shrine in Ikeja, Lagos and home at times. In the process, so many of his associates suffered arrests and detentions. But impressively, Fela was undaunted in his crusade.
The fact that such dehumanizing encounters were capable of pacifying Fela, surprisingly they did not as indicated boldly in his continued war with the authorities.
His actions thereby attracting the attention and perhaps applause of the local and international human rights activists.
The AbamiEda as a result became a thin god of sort who kept magneting attention any time he talked on national matters
It is on good source that when olikoye came for fela’s launching Over Take, don’t overtake, overtake ,”otherwise abbreviated as “ODOO”, he openly , asked guests to take a quick look at the face of his brother so as to confirm that he wasn’t finding his appointment easy.
This too, really had a devastating psychological effect on him publicly. Funny enough this didn’t brother Fela. One pretty interesting disposition of Fela was his unpredictability at any given time.
There were varying degrees of surprising tales of encounters with some fans, including the current presidential special adviser on political matters and erstwhile fiery / veteran Journalist, honorable BabafemiOjudu who was alleged in an interview that Fela once tricked him into tasting Igbo.
Another titillating revelation was the confession of his former Caucus band member, now Evangelist, Keji Hamilton member of the “Kalukuta Republic and also an integral part of the Egypt 80 Band for years. He made most of those musical contraptions with Fela for years before becoming a born again Christian. In no bar encounter with a magazine, he summoned courage as born again christian, with strong conviction that he may have committed all the vices during his “imaginable underground days” stay with Fela. He confessed that before he challenged God, telling him that “if you can save me from this life of hard drug, illicit sex, and other dirty vices, I will serve you for the rest of my life.”
That challenge , God embraced to confirm that he is the Almighty and truly, so, he gave Hamilton all the moral and spiritual support to thunder out.
Hear him, “it all started one fateful day at Fela’s library where there were so many occult books and stuffs , maintaining, all I did was to get out of my physical body by just chanting the incantation which I did and so experience my astral travel which turned out to be a passage which I entered. Behold there, I met some very ugly beings there. Three came to me to teach me musical instruments. One volunteered to teach me keyboards, one showed interest in teaching me guitar, while the other settled for bass guitar. This was how I got my skill which was pretty important to the band throughout my stay there.”
Halmiltonfuther divulged that On the instruction of the Holy Ghost, he went to see Fela years after I had left the band. The AbamiEda according to him,“welcome me initially; but became hostile suddenly after I had told him that I encountered a mightier power than his own.
Hamilton recalled that Fela told him that he was a joker, basing the fact that he (Fela) was raised by a biological religious father who didnt succeed in changing him.
There is no doubt that this insight goes a long way in knowing the Late AbamiEda as a person and musician better.
Controversies had been since became part and parcel of the life and times till date,25 years after his death.
However, he has affected lives positively or negatively depending on the assessors believe. No wonder those who believe in him would continue to worship the AbamiEda with their yearly felabrations.
It is strongly believed that some of Fela’s family and fans are planning their own to a motalizing him. One of them, a veteran photographer, Micah Okoh is busy planning a photo exhibition on late AbamiEda.
Okoh maintained that he knows such venture comes with huge challenges. However, he divulged that he is ready to face all the uphill tasks so as to record resounding success. For now, he is planning to table the project before Fela’s children for possible assistance of any sort.
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