By IFECHI OKOH

While late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, massively addressed as the Abami Eda lived, it was one week, one trouble with the authorities, especially with the no-nonsense military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-79) and Buhari/Idiagbon regime later which 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 from was that of IBB, which appointed his late brother, Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti as Health Minister. Although, he did not attack IBB like others, he took them headlong.

Till date, the memories of how his face-off with the Obasanjo regime which actually cost him his Kalakuta Republic mansion and death of his late mother, Chief (Mrs) Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, in 1977 is still fresh in our memories.

Expectedly, he protested his losses and recorded a presumable and commercially successful album whose title, lyrics, arrangement and powerful rendition were typical of Fela’s compositions.

This, he followed up with subsequent releases with biting commentaries on his perceived dissatisfaction with the military regime’s style of administration. 

It actually fetched him local and international attention, accompanied by huge applause as a champion of the masses. Although, he really paid dearly for his actions as the military expectedly disciplined him. Since that period, it was  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 sub-duing Fela, surprisingly they did not as indicated boldly in his continued war with the authorities.

His actions thereby attracted attention and perhaps applause of the local and international human rights activists.

The Abami Eda, as a result, became a tin 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 bother 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 former Presidential Special Adviser on Political Matters and erstwhile fiery/veteran Journalist, Honorable Babafemi Ojudu, who alleged in an interview that Fela once tricked him into tasting Indian hemp.

Another titillating revelation was the confession of his former Caucus band member, now Evangelist, Keji Hamilton, a 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 a no-holds-bar encounter with a magazine, he summoned courage as a born again Christian, with strong conviction that he may have committed all the vices during his “unimaginable underground days” stay with Fela; confessed that 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 occultic books and stuffs, 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.”

Halmilton further divulged that on the instruction of the Holy Ghost, he went to see Fela years after he had left the band. The Abami Eda, according to him, “welcomed 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, based on the fact that he (Fela) was raised by a biological religious father who didn’t succeed in changing him.     

There is no doubt that this insight goes a long way in knowing the Late Abami Eda as a person and musician better.

Controversies had been on since he was no longer part and parcel of the life and times of late Fela till date, 26 years after his death.

 However, he has affected lives positively or negatively depending on the assessors belief. No wonder, those who believe in him would continue to worship the Abami Eda with their yearly felabrations.

It is strongly believed that some of Fela’s family members and fans are planning to  immortalizing him for life. One of them, a veteran photographer, Micah Okoh, is busy planning a photo exhibition on late Abami Eda.

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.