Fela told the Nigerian or rather African story as it should be told, giving the continent a sense of pride and integrity. This grand achievement of a great African personality is what Teju Kareem, CEO, Zmirage Multimedia, intends to spotlight as he brings the popular, award winning band, London Afrobeat Collective (LAC) on a tour of Nigeria this October.
According to Kareem, the objectives of ‘London Afrobeat Collective Tours Nigeria’ also tagged ‘Pride of Culture’ project, include reliving the creative energy and cultural consciousness that Fela represents; spotlighting and promoting Afrobeat and its huge commercial cum economic potentials; celebrating the prodigious creativity of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and showcasing its continuous progressive effect on human development as well as encouraging African youths to imbibe positive attitudes to their career choice.
Hear him: “This way, we will emphasize the pride and resourcefulness of our vast and diverse African culture. The can-do spirit and energy epitomized by Fela’s invention of Afrobeat represents the immaterial wealth of Africa, a potential resource that our youths should latch on.
“Showcasing the 10-piece London Afrobeat Collective band to our youth will surely inspire more of Fela-like ingenuity not only in the area of music but other professional facets of life. The energies of our youth need to be recharged with self-belief, confidence and pride in their culture, which they can then harness in their contribution to not only African but also world development.”
LAC & global Afrobeat movement
Fela’s invention and founding of Afrobeat continue to provide not only entertainment for the nourishing of the human mind but also facilitate economic growth and guarantee livelihood for individuals, groups and institutions across the globe.
LAC and such other mostly Caucasian musical bands playing Afrobeat have not only adopted Fela’s musical culture and appropriated his musical ingenuity they have also unconsciously imbibed his African social-political and cultural consciousness.
“We believe that we can consolidate on this global phenomenon, and encourage our youths to key into this can-do spirit and energy. This way we will mobilise progressive young Africans to assume spokesman-ship of our continent, thus contributing to global cultural discourses – very essential in this era of globalization and villagelization. We recall that the can-do energy and spirit optimised in Fela’s career trajectory could also be found in the contributions and personages of some of Africa’s political founding fathers like Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, Nelson Mandela, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and Queen Amina among others,” Kareem stressed.
Ogun State and Pride of Culture project
Ogun State is blessed with not only Nigerian-firsts but also African-firsts in many disciplines and human endeavours. Therefore, the ‘Pride of Culture’ project has been conceived to articulate and celebrate the resourcefulness – the can-do spirit and energy – obtainable in the state today. As a mark of respect to Ogun State that gave the world iconic Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the LAC band will perform live at the prestigious June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta courtesy A-list energy company, Heyden Oil, founded by Ogun State-born Dapo Abiodun.
“A project inspired by an Ogun State indigene, who has become a world phenomenon, cannot have its first tour of Africa without paying the deserved homage to the root of Fela Anikulapo,” Abiodun said, adding, “In line with her numerous socio-civic responsibilities, Heyden Oil is bringing this world phenomenon, LAC, to the youths and people of Ogun State.”
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