FELA'S CONDOM EXPERIENCE (Some adult context)
Frederick Agha
Sam
At 19.57 9.8.1997 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear Netters and Yinka,
>>In my usual stop at the Shrine, I listened to Fela's then latest
>composition.
>It was a song called CONDOM .....(long title, I don't recall it). It was
>a musically good song, but I was disgusted by the message being conveyed
>by Fela's lyrics. To me, it was a poor response to a public health
>crises.
>
>The song started with an Edo traditional forklore that would have made
>my brother Eweka very proud. The long lyrics gave Fela's disappointment
>about what he called the relatively cheaper price paid to Nigerian
>prostitutes in Europe, as against, he said, prostitutes from other
>countries.
With due respect, I haven't listened to the lyrics of the song but in my
opinion, Fela was only highlighting the realities of the time with respect
to Nigerian men and women who engage in prostitution in Europe. I have
personally rescued a Nigerian girl from such a situation and helped her
return to Nigeria so I KNOW that Fela was telling the truth. It's not a
secret that brothel owners in many parts of Europe recruit women from the
developing world under the disguise of offering them well-paid jobs abroad,
to later turn them into sex slaves. Recently, the Spanish police busted such
criminal rings. So I don't see how the great maestro erred.
>Then he gave a detailed account of how he met a lady, liked her, she
>liked him, and everything leading to the sexual encounter. He got
>undressed, she did the same, and wala, she removed the condom from her
>purse and stated that the Abami Eda must use it. After stating that men
>should never use condoms, Fela began shouting:
>
> "Carry Your toto go," "Carry your toto go" with the chorus replying
> "I no go "do" ("do" the Yoruba word for "f**k am.") "I no go do"
>
>Then, one by one Fela brought his backup singers upfront to him,
>fondled them, layed them down, or on their knees, and engaged them in a
>simulation of several sexual positions, with the background booming "I
>no go do." His message throughout the song was clear, never use a
>condom.
Your correct. There's a another message in the song which you've failed to
interprete, 'I no go "do". Don't engage in sexual encounter with people you
don't know if you don't use or want to use a condom. While I don't support
or encourage anything or anyone to undermine the AIDS awareness campaign in
Nigeria, I humbly suggest we all suspend the FELA/AIDS, not AIDS, discourse
until after his burial. That's the least respect we can give the man.
Freddie
Sam Akintimoye CPA
Old boy,
The great thing about every song is that it could be given various
meanings by various reasonable listeners. You are entitled to your
interpretation.
But taking Fela's yabbis about AIDS as a whole, and given the total
context of the song, i.e. "Carry your toto go," plus "I no go 'do',"
take another look at my analysis below. Who knows, you can later change
your mind.
Sam Akintimoye
P.S. Thanks for the rescue operation, my man.
U may also check out my one liners in CAPS below.
Frederick Agha wrote:
>
> Sam
>
> At 19.57 9.8.1997 -0700, you wrote:
> >Dear Netters and Yinka,
> >>In my usual stop at the Shrine, I listened to Fela's then latest
> >composition.
> >It was a song called CONDOM .....(long title, I don't recall it). It was
> >a musically good song, but I was disgusted by the message being conveyed
> >by Fela's lyrics. To me, it was a poor response to a public health
> >crises.
> >
> >The song started with an Edo traditional forklore that would have made
> >my brother Eweka very proud. The long lyrics gave Fela's disappointment
> >about what he called the relatively cheaper price paid to Nigerian
> >prostitutes in Europe, as against, he said, prostitutes from other
> >countries.
>
> With due respect, I haven't listened to the lyrics of the song but in my
> opinion, Fela was only highlighting the realities of the time with respect
> to Nigerian men and women who engage in prostitution in Europe. I have
> personally rescued a Nigerian girl from such a situation and helped her
> return to Nigeria so I KNOW that Fela was telling the truth. It's not a
> secret that brothel owners in many parts of Europe recruit women from the
> developing world under the disguise of offering them well-paid jobs abroad,
> to later turn them into sex slaves. Recently, the Spanish police busted such
> criminal rings. So I don't see how the great maestro erred.
MY BROTHER, READ MY COMMENTS AGAIN, ALL I DID WAS DESCRIBE THE LYRICS. -
SA.
>
> >Then he gave a detailed account of how he met a lady, liked her, she
> >liked him, and everything leading to the sexual encounter. He got
> >undressed, she did the same, and wala, she removed the condom from her
> >purse and stated that the Abami Eda must use it. After stating that men
> >should never use condoms, Fela began shouting:
> >
> > "Carry Your toto go," "Carry your toto go" with the chorus replying
> > "I no go "do" ("do" the Yoruba word for "f**k am.") "I no go do"
> >
> >Then, one by one Fela brought his backup singers upfront to him,
> >fondled them, layed them down, or on their knees, and engaged them in a
> >simulation of several sexual positions, with the background booming "I
> >no go do." His message throughout the song was clear, never use a
> >condom.
>
> Your correct. There's a another message in the song which you've failed to
> interprete, 'I no go "do". Don't engage in sexual encounter with people you
> don't know if you don't use or want to use a condom. While I don't support
> or encourage anything or anyone to undermine the AIDS awareness campaign in
> Nigeria, I humbly suggest we all suspend the FELA/AIDS, not AIDS, discourse
> until after his burial. That's the least respect we can give the man.
THIS IS WHERE WE DISAGREE, IF I WROTE TWO SENTENCES TO U, YOU HAVE TO
INTERPRETE THEM TOGETHER. THE CARRY YOUR TOTO GO, GOES WITH I NO GO DO.
OTHERWISE, THE MEANING CHANGES. - SA.
>
> Freddie
Sam Akintimoye CPA
Dear Netters and Yinka,
God bless you for starting a frank discussion about the issue of AIDS
in Nigeria, Fela or no Fela.
About a year ago, I attended the first meeting of an organization of
Nigerian doctors in America and Canada, at Anaheim, California. I
attended the second day of the event, but I learnt that Dr. Olukoye
Ransome Kuti, the special guest of honor, spoke on the first day, about
the public health crises in Nigeria.
I listened as another Nigerian doctor, who works for the Center For
Desease Control, dished out scary stats about aids in Nigeria and other
african countries. I was concerned. On my related posting to the net, I
begged all the vacationing Mac Daddies to be careful when they visit
Nigeria. A few months later, I visited Nigeria.
In my usual stop at the Shrine, I listened to Fela's then latest
composition.
It was a song called CONDOM .....(long title, I don't recall it). It was
a musically good song, but I was disgusted by the message being conveyed
by Fela's lyrics. To me, it was a poor response to a public health
crises.
The song started with an Edo traditional forklore that would have made
my brother Eweka very proud. The long lyrics gave Fela's disappointment
about what he called the relatively cheaper price paid to Nigerian
prostitutes in Europe, as against, he said, prostitutes from other
countries.
Then he gave a detailed account of how he met a lady, liked her, she
liked him, and everything leading to the sexual encounter. He got
undressed, she did the same, and wala, she removed the condom from her
purse and stated that the Abami Eda must use it. After stating that men
should never use condoms, Fela began shouting:
"Carry Your toto go," "Carry your toto go" with the chorus replying
"I no go "do" ("do" the Yoruba word for "f**k am.") "I no go do"
Then, one by one Fela brought his backup singers upfront to him,
fondled them, layed them down, or on their knees, and engaged them in a
simulation of several sexual positions, with the background booming "I
no go do." His message throughout the song was clear, never use a
condom.
To me, in view of the great concern about the AIDs crises in Nigeria,
this Fela's song is the only one I'll never buy.
As to whether Fela knew whether he had AIDS, I recall him addressing
this issue in his Lekki concert, about five years ago, like this:
Two nights ago, I played for Warri
Yesterday, I played for Benin
and I pack my load, and today I dey play for Lekki
Look at me, 53 years old today
and dem say Fela dey sick,
dem say Fela get AIDs,
No be AIDS, na benefit.
Dem say, AIDs dey Nigeria,
wetin be di proof....
It looks to me that Baba never believed he had AIDS. May his soul rests
in perfect peace, and may our people wake up and tackle this public
health crises.
So I beg, stay blessed,
Sam Akintimoye
yinka adeyemi wrote:
>
> You are right. It is possible.
> Yinka
>
> At 03:57 AM 8/6/97 +0000, you wrote:
> >Yinka:
> >
> >Is it not possible that Fela didn't quite know he had AIDS?
> >Remember he did not believe in using medications and would
> >probably not believe in going to a doctor to test him for AIDS
> >or whatever.
> >
> >Kunle Adegboye.
> >
> >At 13:16 8/5/97 +0000, Yinka Adeyemi wrote:
> >>Netters:
> >>
> >>I think Fela did us all a disservice by not publicly disclosing his bout
> >>with AIDS. I think he missed a wonderful public service opportunity to
> >>re-direct the minds of our youths, many living dangerously, many believing
> >>they are invincible.
> >>
> >>Nigeria is a society where young girls (even those you have not seen in 10
> >>years) consider it an insult when you suggest a condom (I beg o, I have no
> >>first hand knowledge. Na so people dey talk o), and where many men don't
> >>even entertain the thought.
> >>
> >>Therefore, his mere disclosure would have had a chilling effect on many
> >>people. I am disappointed that this opportunity was wasted. I am angry that
> >>Prof. Olikoye and Beko, physicians that they are, did not talk Fela into
> >>public disclosure for the sake of public health.
> >>
> >>Now, imagine how many more prominent musicians and other VIPs are serving as
> >>incubators for HIV today. Should they all keep quiet, too?
> >>
> >>I am even angrier that Fela should die. But can he die? Can a dead talk and
> >>sing? (I am listening to Beasts of No Nation as I write this). The King is
> >>Dead. Long Live the King.
> >>
> >>Yinka
> >>
> >
Ide ju Ogwugwu
Sam:
Much as your analysis is in good standing, you also have to know that
there are two faces to a coin. Musical lyrics are not always just mere proses.
>From your accounts, there was no attempt on your part or any other
person's to interview Fela on the exact/actual import of the music. Perhaps,
you arrived at your conclusions based on the dance you witnessed. If you
are a good fan of rap musics or subscribe to hard rocks (metals), what you
witnessed at the shrine will surely be a child's play. When it comes to sex
simulation, ask the Materials Girl first. If you cannot reach her, ask the
enfant terrible of NBA. Fela was in music to make money and name. He
gave his fans whatever would keep them listed. I am not in a good position
to pass judgement on him or his fans.
The lyrics you alluded to can be interpreted in many ways. To some people,
it's go and doam without condoms. To some, it's never doam with someone
you never know about his/her aids status even if a condom is offered. And
so, when he brought out his "wives" and still refused to doam, he might
still be telling his fans that even him "wives" no reach di people wey him
go doam with, condoms or no condoms. Is this a case of distrust? Of course,
the crowd went crazy with the "I no go do".
Fela has died. It's been announced he died of aids. Hiv-positive people have
died from other causes than aids. The finger-pointing does not lead us
anywhere. Fela cannot come back to defend whether he supported the use
of condoms or not, or whether he knew he had aids until the last two weeks
of his life. What can we, the living, do to avoid dying of aids too or
prevent others from dying from aids? To me, that's the subject matter.
That's why I have burried politics to listen to Steve's lecture and the
views of others. As you can see, there are topics which can bring Nigerians
(pdms and non-pdms) together. Naijanet has taken a new look since this aids
series began. It shows that every one of us loves his/her life and that the
aids scare is real in us.
Unfortunately, this scare has not increased the number of Naijas changing
professions to celibate priesthood.
Thanks and have a nice Sunday.
Oguocha
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