by Yinka Ibukun %u2028
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — To a whiff of marijuana smoke
and a bit of dancing, Nigerians again met Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
on Sunday, more than 13 years after his death.
About 400 people crowded into the New Afrika Shrine
for Nigerians' first glimpse of the award-winning musical. The venue, now the
home of performance by Fela's sons, Afrobeat performers Femi Kuti and Seun
Kuti, stood electrified as a large-screen television showed a prerecorded
performance by the National Theatre in London.
"It was a no-brainer that it would be nice to
show this in Lagos, and in the Shrine, so the (National Theatre) provided a
high-quality recording for us to show," said David Higgs, country director
of the British Council, which organized the event.
The "Fela!" musical is set in the
original Shrine, which was destroyed while Fela was serving one of his many
jail sentences. It was later replaced by the New Afrika Shrine. Run by his
daughter Yeni Kuti, it serves as the new mecca of fans of Fela and Afrobeat,
the musical genre he invented, a politically charged mix of Yoruba-language
music and highlife cross-pollinated with funk and jazz.
Organizers acknowledged holding the event with
diplomats in the Shrine remained a bit of a risque proposal, as youths openly
smoked loosely rolled marijuana cigarettes during the event. A fight also broke
out between a local photographer and a woman watching the performance.
"You can see that we don't eat people
here," Yeni Kuti said in her welcome address. "So when you leave this
place today, please spread the positive word."
Fela's daughter was echoed by Ngaujah Sahr, the
actor who channeled the late Afrobeat star for his performance in London.
"Welcome at the Shrine," the actor shouts
sarcastically at the beginning of the musical. "It's so good to see so
many of you here ... considering how dangerous this neighborhood is. And how
dangerous we are."
Fela performed regularly at the original Shrine
with his band Egypt 80, surrounded by female dancers who wound their hips at
neck-breaking speeds. As Sahr and the rest of the cast were scrutinized by the
Shrine audience, two dancers climbed into two cages in front of the screen, a
bit of live action for the screened performance.
"Seeing them dance makes me so happy,"
said Olayinka Anjorin, who rhythmically shook inside a yellow track suit to the
crowd's delight. "I didn't expect this kind of thing from them. I love
them!"
Having studied in the U.K. and lived in the U.S.
during the Black Power movement, Fela created a commune in the heart of Lagos,
Nigeria's commercial capital, where he lived with his 27 wives, most of whom
were dancers as well. Eccentric as he was, Fela was beloved because he captured
people's anger toward rudderless military leadership. He highlighted the
ordinary man's grievances in songs like "Everything Scatter," which
was banned by the Nigerian government.
"This is just a copy of the original, but we
are excited about it," said Olayiwola Adeniji, a communications
professional who raised his two fists at the screen to respond to Sahr. It was
the same way that Adeniji used to respond to Fela when he used to frequent the
Shrine in the '90s.
The applause got a bit more earnest as the play
continued, as the characters became more real to the fixated audience. However,
others remained focused on a flat-screen television airing a high-profile
English soccer game between Chelsea and Liverpool.
Copyright
2011 The Associated Press.
Photo
Caption: Nigerian watched a recording of Afro Beat Legend Fela Kuti at the New
Afrika Shrine next to a no drugs sign in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011.
Nigerians have seen their first glimpse of "Fela!" in Nigeria's
commercial capital of Lagos. Nigerians watched a recording of the musical
Sunday at the New Afrika Shrine, where Fela fans still converge every week.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was a Nigerian artist who created Afrobeat, a musical genre
that blends African music with jazz and funk. The award-winning musical is
based on his life story. However, Nigerians at home have not previously had an
opportunity to watch the show. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
