OMO BABA COMEDIAN AND FACE OF FELABRATION
OMO NAIJA GROUP ON STAGE 
FADA BASI
PLUS ONE
ADUNNI AND NEFERTITI FEMALE SINGING GROUPThe stage at the New Africa Shrine looks so tame and innocent. It would surprise anyone who had been there. For a whole week, that stage was easily the hottest stage in all of Africa. The walls of the establishment were bursting at the seams and each successive performance threatened to blow the roof off the building.
The celebrations kicked off with a symposium, debate and interactive question and answer session which hosted entertainment mogul, Mr Ben Bruce, erstwhile politician and past governor of Cross River state, Mr Donald Duke, spokesperson for the Kuti family and debate moderator, Mrs Yemisi Ransome Kuti. The session also included Mr Idowu Mabinuori and renowned poet and writer, Mr Odia Ofeimun.Also present was the Boss of the NDLEA, Mr Iweajunwa. Each speaker on relevant societal issues which Fela had adressed
For the second year running, Felabration lent its support to the total eradication of poverty Stand up, Take Action.
The artiste line up is surely the longest that Nigeria has seen at any concert in her history. Tuesday saw the show kicking off in full steam. Apart from being quite lenghty, it was also populated by superstars on a galactic level. There were perfomances by King Sunny Ade, Fatai Rolling Dollars, Seun Kuti and Fela's Egypt 80, Lagbaja, Gangbe Brass Band, Wierd Mc, Aduni and Nefertiti, Nneka, Muma Gee, Pasuma, Sir shina Peters, Tunde and Wunmi Obe, Dele Taiwo, Kel, Sasha, Timaya, Terry G, Oritsefemi, Bigiano, Duro Ikujenyo, Nija sings runners up and winner, Da Grin, Konga, Sound Sultan and Baba Dee, Dj Vinnie, Dj Neptune, Wande Coal and The Prince, The Pulse, amongst so many performers.
The finale was surely one for the record books. Femi Kuti and Positive Force actually seemed to bring the spirit of Fela back to life. The crowd swayed and danced to the scyntilating rythms that pervaded the hall. Terry G who had the fans sweating it out in suspense was on hand to close the event. For most fans, nothing short of what they had seen,
But to move on from the razmatazz of the concert and it humongous superstar roll call, what has been the impact of Fela on this new generation of Nigerians? What are the effects that his showmanship, political ideology and philosophy have on the so called new democracy that Nigeria claims to run? What great good will this volatile fusion of music, politics and hero worship do for the generations to come? I guess we all just have to wait and see but surely from the writer's point of view, Fela truly does carry death in his pocket because from all indications world wide, Anikulapo is bigger, better, and truly a Legend ---TBLACK
MR BEN MURRAY BRUCE SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC :THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF FELA ON OUR SOCIETY
MR MABINOURI IDOWU AUTHOR OF BOOKS ON FELA
MR FEMI ODEBUNMI CO-ORDINATOR OF THE SYMPOSIUM
MR ODIA OFEIMUN POET AND WRITER
EX-GOVERNOR DONALD DUKE ANSWERING QUESTION FROM THE PRESS
THE AUDIENCE WERE ALSO PART OF THE SYMPOSIUM THEY FEILDED QUESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTED
MR SEGUN SANGO MAKING A CONTRIBUTION
FORMER GOVERNOR OF CROSS RIVER STATE MADE A PRESENTATION ON THE SYMPOSIUM TOPIC.
MR FEMI FALANA SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC, BEHIND HIM IS THE NDLEA BOSS(MR IWEAJUNWA)
HEAD OF THE ANIKULAPO-KUTI /RANSOME KUTI FAMILY, YEMISI RANSOME KUTI
CHEIF FEMI ESHO ALSO MAKING A CONTRIBUTION
MR BEN MURRAY COMMENTS ON THE TOPIC
THE INTELLECTUAL FORUM AUDIENCE
MR BEN MURRAY BRUCE, MABINOURI IDOWU,DONALD DUKE, YEMISI RANSOME-KUTI,FEMI FALANA.
AMBASSADOR FEMI KUTI DISCUSSING WITH MADAM SONIA RANSOME KUTI(WIFE OF LATE PROF. RANSOME KUTI)
AMB. FEMI KUTI AND MADAM YENI KUTI
PANEL STAGE VIEW
AUDIENCE VIEWING PICTURES OF FELA EXTRACTED FROM THE FILM -THE BLACK PRESIENT
MORE PICTURES OF FELA
FROM RIGHT TO LEFT MR THEO LAWSON, DR. DOTUN RANSOME KUTI AND A FELABRATION 2009 COMMITTEE MEMBER
Felabration in an annual festival commemorating the life and times of our own musical icon “Fela Anikulapo-Kuti”, whose music and ideologies transcended all boundaries. The week-long event features various Nigerian, African and International artistes, including Street Floats, “Felamatrics”, the unique Fela Trivia Competition, Exhibitions and other exciting activities to relive and honor his memory and contributions to the evolution of African emancipation and Afro Beat genre. Felabration 2009 which takes place in October is tagged “The Black President” coinciding with the year America elected its first black president. This name was also a tribute to Fela during and after his lifetime. As an Afro beat Maestro, Poet, Philosopher and Social Critic, Fela became a hero to many. Felabration 2009 will be celebrating his ideologies and his contribution the Nigerian society through his political ideology, social emancipation and empowerment of Nigerians and the black race as a whole. This edition is the 12th in the annual series and it has been listed and endorsed as a Tourism Calendar event by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism. Already, the festival is being marketed globally and artistes confirmations already being received. More than 100 artistes including D Banj, Olu Maintain, PSquare, Majek Fashek, performed at Felabration 2008 and attendance records show over 20,000 fans and visitors from within Nigeria and abroad. The 2009 edition promises to be much bigger as we plan to hold a symposium to discuss Fela’s impact on our collective’ psyche with speakers from the polity and academia, amongst other creative and relevant activities. ARARARARA ORORORORO EVERYBODY SAY YEAH YEAH
The celebrations kicked off with a symposium, debate and interactive question and answer session which hosted entertainment mogul, Mr Ben Bruce, erstwhile politician and past governor of Cross River state, Mr Donald Duke, spokesperson for the Kuti family and debate moderator, Mrs Yemisi Ransome Kuti. The session also included Mr Idowu Mabinuori and renowned poet and writer, Mr Odia Ofeimun.Also present was the Boss of the NDLEA, Mr Iweajunwa. Each speaker on relevant societal issues which Fela had adressed
For the second year running, Felabration lent its support to the total eradication of poverty Stand up, Take Action.
The artiste line up is surely the longest that Nigeria has seen at any concert in her history. Tuesday saw the show kicking off in full steam. Apart from being quite lenghty, it was also populated by superstars on a galactic level. There were perfomances by King Sunny Ade, Fatai Rolling Dollars, Seun Kuti and Fela's Egypt 80, Lagbaja, Gangbe Brass Band, Wierd Mc, Aduni and Nefertiti, Nneka, Muma Gee, Pasuma, Sir shina Peters, Tunde and Wunmi Obe, Dele Taiwo, Kel, Sasha, Timaya, Terry G, Oritsefemi, Bigiano, Duro Ikujenyo, Nija sings runners up and winner, Da Grin, Konga, Sound Sultan and Baba Dee, Dj Vinnie, Dj Neptune, Wande Coal and The Prince, The Pulse, amongst so many performers.
The finale was surely one for the record books. Femi Kuti and Positive Force actually seemed to bring the spirit of Fela back to life. The crowd swayed and danced to the scyntilating rythms that pervaded the hall. Terry G who had the fans sweating it out in suspense was on hand to close the event. For most fans, nothing short of what they had seen,
But to move on from the razmatazz of the concert and it humongous superstar roll call, what has been the impact of Fela on this new generation of Nigerians? What are the effects that his showmanship, political ideology and philosophy have on the so called new democracy that Nigeria claims to run? What great good will this volatile fusion of music, politics and hero worship do for the generations to come? I guess we all just have to wait and see but surely from the writer's point of view, Fela truly does carry death in his pocket because from all indications world wide, Anikulapo is bigger, better, and truly a Legend ---TBLACK
MR BEN MURRAY BRUCE SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC :THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF FELA ON OUR SOCIETY
MR MABINOURI IDOWU AUTHOR OF BOOKS ON FELA
MR FEMI ODEBUNMI CO-ORDINATOR OF THE SYMPOSIUM
MR ODIA OFEIMUN POET AND WRITER
EX-GOVERNOR DONALD DUKE ANSWERING QUESTION FROM THE PRESS
THE AUDIENCE WERE ALSO PART OF THE SYMPOSIUM THEY FEILDED QUESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTED
MR SEGUN SANGO MAKING A CONTRIBUTION
FORMER GOVERNOR OF CROSS RIVER STATE MADE A PRESENTATION ON THE SYMPOSIUM TOPIC.
MR FEMI FALANA SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC, BEHIND HIM IS THE NDLEA BOSS(MR IWEAJUNWA)
HEAD OF THE ANIKULAPO-KUTI /RANSOME KUTI FAMILY, YEMISI RANSOME KUTI
CHEIF FEMI ESHO ALSO MAKING A CONTRIBUTION
MR BEN MURRAY COMMENTS ON THE TOPIC
THE INTELLECTUAL FORUM AUDIENCE
MR BEN MURRAY BRUCE, MABINOURI IDOWU,DONALD DUKE, YEMISI RANSOME-KUTI,FEMI FALANA.
AMBASSADOR FEMI KUTI DISCUSSING WITH MADAM SONIA RANSOME KUTI(WIFE OF LATE PROF. RANSOME KUTI)
AMB. FEMI KUTI AND MADAM YENI KUTI
PANEL STAGE VIEW
AUDIENCE VIEWING PICTURES OF FELA EXTRACTED FROM THE FILM -THE BLACK PRESIENT
MORE PICTURES OF FELA
FROM RIGHT TO LEFT MR THEO LAWSON, DR. DOTUN RANSOME KUTI AND A FELABRATION 2009 COMMITTEE MEMBER
Felabration in an annual festival commemorating the life and times of our own musical icon “Fela Anikulapo-Kuti”, whose music and ideologies transcended all boundaries. The week-long event features various Nigerian, African and International artistes, including Street Floats, “Felamatrics”, the unique Fela Trivia Competition, Exhibitions and other exciting activities to relive and honor his memory and contributions to the evolution of African emancipation and Afro Beat genre. Felabration 2009 which takes place in October is tagged “The Black President” coinciding with the year America elected its first black president. This name was also a tribute to Fela during and after his lifetime. As an Afro beat Maestro, Poet, Philosopher and Social Critic, Fela became a hero to many. Felabration 2009 will be celebrating his ideologies and his contribution the Nigerian society through his political ideology, social emancipation and empowerment of Nigerians and the black race as a whole. This edition is the 12th in the annual series and it has been listed and endorsed as a Tourism Calendar event by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism. Already, the festival is being marketed globally and artistes confirmations already being received. More than 100 artistes including D Banj, Olu Maintain, PSquare, Majek Fashek, performed at Felabration 2008 and attendance records show over 20,000 fans and visitors from within Nigeria and abroad. The 2009 edition promises to be much bigger as we plan to hold a symposium to discuss Fela’s impact on our collective’ psyche with speakers from the polity and academia, amongst other creative and relevant activities. ARARARARA ORORORORO EVERYBODY SAY YEAH YEAH
I am so proud of the New Afrika Shrine. it will only take time for the world to feel the puissance of our fight but it will surely come....Adedayo
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