Femi Kuti is a household name, an international recording artiste with multiple awards. He wears the toga of Fela’s son and crown prince of Afro beat music. SAMUEL ABULUDE and NGOZI OSADEBAY were at the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos penultimate Sunday and had a chat with him while preparing for his show. He spoke about challenges of having a live band, his women, present government among other sundry issues. This is vintage FEMI KUTI
What is your new album ‘No place for my Dream’ all about?
The purpose is to be able to inform leaders who are in power to make a change, in our country where there are not enough jobs which is not good enough. It is also to bring the attention of world leaders to climate change, the global food crisis and all that.
It’s interesting that the young ones are coming to do stuff with Femi, such as Wizkid, Jesse Jagz, etc.
They must appreciate my effort in the industry. Even if some people don’t recognize what I’ve done, if you are in the business, you will recognize what I’ve done. The younger generation has deemed it fit as well. If I were a writer, writers will appreciate me. You cannot but recognize my immense contribution to the entertainment industry in Nigeria. Whether you want to accept it or not, because of envy or whatever your reasons, you cannot even say because I’m Fela’s son, that is why I have achieved whatever I have achieved. I’m the only Nigerian to have been nominated three times at The Grammys.
I may have won it, but try and be nominated to see how difficult it is. I am the first Nigerian to win the KORA and the first Nigerian to win the World Music Awards. When you are in the business, you will see my name in the corridors of the entertainment world but when you are not, you’ll find it difficult to see it. If they are asking me, it’s because they do recognize, appreciate and they love and respect what I’ve done. Having understood this, it is for me to oblige or what should I be arrogant about? If a young man asks me to participate in his work, I will of course do so. I have turned down so many because, I don’t have the time as I still do things for myself.
Like every Sunday, you are always here to perform…
And perform for three hours. It’s not easy to perform for three hours nonstop. It’s only on Sunday that the gate fee is N500 Thursday is a free show. It’s not easy and things are difficult for everybody. And when you are playing week in week out, you can’t expect everybody to be here. We have a good moderate price that keeps the place alive.
What of your tours?
There are problems everywhere; there is the global economy, there is the food crisis, credit crunch, so if I can still thrill my fans with good music I must not complain. I have a lot of friends that are very broke. Though I may not be making money but I can keep my head above water. My band is alive, my music is growing. I understand the difficulties many people are facing, so I can’t complain. Most of the people are in worse condition than I am.
There are lots of things I do that you don’t even hear about in Nigeria. There are collaborations I do in France but because they are French speaking, you don’t get to hear about them. A lot of collaborations done in America but you don’t hear about this. There are a lot of things I don’t just make noise about. I don’t see the essence of making noise about them. I just do my work.
Even if, I weren’t Fela’s son, I’m sure I’ll be under pressure (general laughter). That is life.
These days, celebrities buy flashy cars and make so much noise about it…
Who told you they are happy about it? Don’t be deceived about materialism. You’re not there. You think that many of your leaders that are very unpopular don’t want to be popular? They just don’t know how to be popular. They keep doing the wrong things and make matters worse. You won’t want to be in their shoes.
What’s your take on the trend of the young ones who record music that don’t address social issues like you do?
They are young and I cannot criticize what they are doing. I’m not a music critic and I don’t have anything against what they are doing. You’re talking about this kind of songs, what of those dancing to it? What of those buying it? They have a very big fan base, I hope you know that. I don’t know the basis of your criticism. If everyone was singing political songs, do you want the country to go into war? If people are calling for bloodshed and all that, do you understand the consequence of what you are saying? May be the creator has blessed us with this kind of music to keep our mind off our problems.
If every musician was singing political songs, there will be a revolution and if there is a revolution, it will be bloody. When I’m singing these songs, I’m not singing for people to pick up arms. I’m hoping that the leader will even change. Like I was explaining to you, to be a good man is not easy. To live a righteous life is very difficult. All the scriptures teach us this so when you understand this fact, you understand why our leaders behave the way they do. It’s like a disease. It’s hard to be good everyday of your life so I understand this fact. When I am singing, I’m not singing for people to pick up arms. I’m even hoping this people will change.
So if our leaders give their people good education, electricity, good healthcare, they will see the beauty that will come to our continent? If I can drive my car from here (Lagos) to Johannesburg, don’t our leaders see the beauty? So If Nigeria goes to war like Egypt, Libya with our 160 million people, who’s going to accommodate us? You see what’s happening in Syria. Yes, our leaders are corrupt but it is not through violence that we can bring about change? I don’t believe so and most of the great men have never wanted violence, from Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi to Mandela. Is there no other way to bring an end to corruption?
In your own opinion what is the way out?
The way out comes for everybody not just the leaders. Corruption has taken over everybody. However, leadership is the focal point because it is believed that if leaders change everybody will change. Unfortunately, our leaders have showed that corruption is the only way. Having said that, we cannot wait for leadership to change before we do what’s right. It’s not leadership that will play my music for me. It’s not leaders that’ll teach me how to be a good man or raise my children to believe what I believe. I was inspired by Malcom X, Martin Luther King and my father and I hope people will be inspired by the books I’ve read and what has happened in my own life.
So, it’s not just leadership that can bring about change. Martin Luther King was not the American president before he made an impact. So it’s an excuse to hide under our current leadership. I know a lot of journalists that are very corrupt, that if I don’t give them money, they won’t write my story. Talking about the youths of today, whether they can make the required change, depends on the individuality. When I was a young person, no body gave me a chance to excel for nearly ten years. See my life now, I’ve done quite well. I was Fela’s son that people think I won’t be successful. I’m not one to criticize the youth, I don’t know what the creator has put in them and I always pray for them to do well. I’m not a perfect person and I can assure you, I still make mistakes and when I correct the mistakes, I advise people based on my experience.
Is the government of the day doing the right thing?
No! We still don’t have constant electricity, we still don’t have good health care and other things. I think this is one of the worst leadership we have had. Is it not the same leadership that freed Dimeji Bankole and Gbenga Daniel who were earlier declared corrupt? The same government gave presidential pardon to one of the most corrupt governors that was convicted of stealing billions? A policeman was dismissed for collecting bribe recently and you can compare that to our corrupt leaders who are usually allowed to walk free.
You had children with your dancers?
There is no big deal in getting my dancers pregnant. Besides they are beautiful and are human beings. If Micheal Jackson gets his dancers pregnant that is no big deal. I don’t believe in marriage. Though I’ve been married before and my wife knew I didn’t believe in marriage but we still got married. It was not a big deal that my father married 27 wives. That is my own belief. My first son, Made, however believes in marriage and I respect that. I don’t expect anyone to believe in my own opinion. Also, I don’t believe in religion because I don’t understand what it has done to the world.
Religion has divided the world, for instance, the Anglican broke away from the Catholic Church and many people have died because of religion. It was people that killed Jesus Christ yet the same people still worship Him. For me, the church is not meant to collect money from people. Now people say we should beg for forgiveness and I was not around when Jesus was crucified. I was born 1962 and even if I was born during that time I would not have followed them to crucify Jesus because I hate violence and I am a man of peace. If I go to church, I won’t understand what they are doing.
What was the last book that you read?
Scramble for Africa and I spent almost a year reading it. That was the second time I read it.
What is your advice to upcoming musicians?
My advice for upcoming musician is for them to pick up an instrument, if you don’t have any knowledge of music, you would not be respected, if an individual don’t go that extra mile he or she would fade away. So as an upcoming artiste, put extra effort in your work to succeed in life and be unique.
Do you have challenges as a musician?
Life is difficult. If I find it easy probably I would not appreciate this. I expect my children to stand up on their feet and not depend on me. If they depend on my wealth, they won’t be respected so they need to make hay while the sun shines.
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