Fela the Controversial Prophet

Fela's style of dressing was Eccentric. He portrayed his Africanness

I love Fela music. I have always wanted to write the lyrics of his songs and translate the non-English words. Maybe I will, maybe not.

I often wonder what the man was like in person. I have watched all the interviews I could find. I have read as much as my eyes could take. Yet, I am unsatisfied. The man in the music seems elusive.

Fela Had Giant Balls

Appearing on Camera with Undies - Fela had a few loose screws

I am in awe of Fela's guts. Distinguished men like Prof Soyinka criticized democratic governments safely from another continent. However, Fela criticized bloodthirsty, trigger-happy military governments within driving distance - gutsy.

Maybe it was the weed. As Katt Williams says, there is something in weed called, "fuck it." A single puff makes one ignore life's pointless details.

Fela Spoke Nonsense

The man always had a joint with him. Btw, I don't smoke or drink.

I admire Fela's ability to speak nonsense. As an artist and a creative person, Fela's willingness to be intentionally imperfect just floors me.

His songs often contain grunts, phrases, even entire verses that make absolutely no sense. Fela was a true entertainer. Taken in this light, his entertaining pieces of nonsense make sense.

Again, maybe it was the weed.

Nigerians Hate Fela's Songs

Christians dismiss Fela because he openly had many wives

A prophet is never recognized in his home. In Fela's case, for good reason.

Fela's shrine attracted riffraff, strays, prostitutes, drug addicts... the uneducated. Thus, most literate people distanced themselves from Fela and his songs.

I used to argue with people about Fela. They would always give the same superficial arguments:

• Fela's songs are for social rejects! 
• Fela married 50 women at a time! 
• Fela's songs are nonsense
• e.t.c.

I stopped arguing with people not only because it's unproductive, I stopped because

People Are Unaware of Why They Dislike Fela

The man's quirks had nothing to do with why people reject his songs.

I stopped trying to convince people to judge the man separately from his work when I stumbled on a startling discovery

You must like Jazz to appreciate like Fela's music 

Strip the vocals from Fela's songs and what remains is undiluted, entertaining, unusual African themed Jazz. Songs like Blackman's cry and Egbe Mi O, have orchestral qualities.

The reasons most Nigerians give for disliking Fela's songs is pure bullock. They simply don't like Jazz. I have tested my theory repeatedly and it passes 99.99% of the time. When I listen to songs like Unknown Soldier (31 minutes in length), I enter Jazz heaven.

For 15 uninterrupted minutes, I am engulfed by carefully crafted sequences of good ol Jazz. Time fades into oblivion as I work and think at light speed.

For others however, it is 15 minutes of torture.

They fidget uncomfortably as if little monkey-tailed devils were poking their bodies with pitchforks. I would sneer at their obvious discomfort and await the inevitable question, "When is he going to say something?"