Fela Laid To Rest

[Hakim Salam]

Famed Nigerian Musician, Fela Laid To Rest

August 12, 1997

Paul Ejime, PANA Correspondent

LAGOS, Nigeria (PANA) - The heavens suddenly opened up with showers of
rain
then sunshine, as the body of Nigeria's controversial but famed musician,
Olufela
Anikulapo-Kuti, was laid into his grave Tuesday.

It was a re-enactment of Monday's carnival-like lying in state for the
iconoclast, who
died Aug. 2, three months to his 59th birthday and three weeks after he
had read
his own obituary, in advance.

Tuesday's mourners included students, politicians, diplomats, artists and
fellow
musicians who thronged to Anikulapo-Kuti's Gbemisola home in Ikeja, north
of
Lagos.

Tears rolled down the face of his eldest son, Femi, and the heir to his
father's
musical dynasty, as he clung to his father's saxophone.

But another son, Seun, 14, displayed no emotion.

Fela is not dead because his music lives on, said Seun. I feel bad but we
are
encouraged by the crowd.

Seun says he plans to complete his education before taking over from
where his
father had left off.

Mourners greeted the lowering of the wooden casket with shouts while
others,
especially family members and close friends, cried.

Still, many danced as Mr Anikulapo-Kuti's songs blared from loud
speakers, while
the shovels went to work digging up sand to cover the simple grave of a
man who
has made a monumental impact on Nigerian art history.

He invented Afro-Beat, a fusion of African traditional music and modern
jazz.

In what could pass for a grave side oration, Femi Anikulapo- Kuti had
urged his
father's fans to remain steadfast to his ideals: the defence of human
rights.

A social critic, who remained defiant until his death from AIDS related
complications, Mr. Anikulapo-Kuti's unique musical style was
characterised by
caustic political commentary, especially of the country's successive
military
administrations.

Among his 133 albums are Zombie , Follow Follow , Why Black Man Dey
Suffer
and Africa, Centre of The World.

Despite his anti-establishment disposition, he toyed with the idea of
becoming the
president of Nigeria. However, his Movement of the People's Party failed
to gain
registration during the country's second republic.

An apostle of Pan-Africanism and black power, he never believed in
orthodox
medicine and, perhaps, only went to a modern hospital too late.

[Sam Akintimoye CPA]

Dear netters,

My understanding is that burying a corpse in a place other than a
cemetary, is illegal in Lagos state. As a Fela fan, I am glad he got
buried in his compound.

However, I am curious to know why the government looked the other way on
this one?

Sam Akintimoye