Fela lives…in Felabration

By SOLA BALOGUN
Almost a decade after the transition of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a week long music festival tagged Felabration will hold in October to celebrate the late singer, popularly known as Abami Eda. Organised by Laface Entertainment, in collaboration with new African Shrine Zmirage Multimedia and Daar communications, the festival has the theme: Our music, Our celebration, Our Tourism, and it is expected to hold between October 10 and 15 in Lagos.

Essentially, Felabration aims at celebrating the music, legacy and times of the late maverick. Afro beat icon who died on August 1997 at the age of 59. Though he did not live long enough to reap fruits of his labour as one of Africa's most talented musician, Fela was popular and respected for being a great mentor to many of his prodigies in and outside Africa.

Felabration, according to the organizers, is also expected to attract people from all over the world while featuring concerts, symposium, carnival and procession in celebrating the music legend. Besides, since Nigeria is so blessed with thousands of young talented singers, Felabration is said to be an avenue to showcase their talents, in addition to serving as a talent hunt through an audition.

According to promoters, Felabration will not just only showcase raw talents, it shall also ensure that 15 best artistes are selected fronm the pool of young musicians currently registering to be part of the festival. Already entries are being received via emails, telephones at the New Africa Shrine in Ikea, Lagos.

Upon selection, the best 15 artistes would have the opportunity of playing on the big stage along side top Nigerian and International artistes as a way of giving them the much-desired exposure. The audition is scheduled to hold on Monday August 21 with a jury that comprises seasoned experts in music and entertainment industry.

According to laface, Felabration is conceived as a major effort at contributing to the growth entertainment industry in Nigeria.
Even in death, Fela is today larger than life as fans across the globe continue to honour and celebrate him.

For example, his life and works are being studied like such heroes as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King in many American universities and beyond. Also in Perth, Australia, a club in the city center acknowledges Fela with a club named Zombie, which plays only Fela's music.