[Ewuro]

Originally Posted by ewuro

big thanks. There are many bands playing fela's type of music all over the world in the us, canada, south america and europe. In austria the familykuti band is doing a great job of it. Type in 'familykuti' on youtube for a taste!

Fela did something unprecedented to music in general and to africa in particular.

Underpining his great achievement was boldness to challenge old values and a lot of hardwork. Fela was a perfectionist when it came to his music. He did not compromise on rehearsals. Several hours daily on his sax and keyboards.

He was hard on himself. Once a record was released he would not play it live. This puts a lot of pressure oh him to create more.

He had a leverage and a past in his family and egba roots. You can see that in all his siblings: Late prof. Olikoye ransome-kuti, the former health minister and senior brother, and his junior brother late dr. Beko ransome kuti.

The activism and creativity of his first cousin, wole soyinka (mother is a ransome-kuti) is well known to all of us. They all imbibed the activism and creativity for which egba are well known.

This artistic spirit of the egbas is revealed in many artistes from abeokuta origin: Wole soyinka(musical!), fela, tunji oyelana, ambrose campbell,yussuf olatunji alias baba legba,tunde nightingale, adeolu akinsanya, ebenezer obey (fabiyi), idowu animashaun (apola king), prince adekunle, ayinla omowura,sir shina peters and many more.

I make bold to say that there is no town or city in nigeria that has produced as many recorded artistes with varying degree of success. Ba wa! Ilu egba oni baje. Ase!

Fela's grandfather was recorded as an accomplished musician. So was his father.

The father composed the egba national anthem, lori oke..... Egbas used to sing this instead of 'god hail the king/queen' during empire days in the colonial era.

The coloniast were irked by this and the indomitable spirits of the egba.

Fela, abami eda, anikulapo, held death in his pouch. He is alive and will live for ever through his music.

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