Plenty Nonsense Dey For Nigeria
For the past few weeks, Femi Kuti’s music has been in constant rotation all around me, cd-player, moto, computer, record player and DVD. This recent inundation was caused by a feeling that more time should be spent really listening to all of his recordings… music I could knew well, but had relegated to a corner of my mind and filed under, “music that I know… good music, but stuff that I rarely play,” so it was music that I had not really listened to in a while, some of it for years!
Years ago when when I originally heard Femi’s music, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. There was a feeling that Fela was the real deal, and Femi (or anyone else for that matter) was merely a cheap immitation riding on the laurels of his father. Since then, what he’s all about has definitely come into the clear, setting himself apart as a musician, bandleader & activist.
Listening to his releases in succession allowed me pinpoint something that I’ve been feeling for some time. Of all the current Nigerian musicians, Femi Kuti is likely the most attuned to Nigeria’s challenges today - socially, economically and politically. Continuing the work his father started, Femi uses music as his weapon in the fight for the common man in Nigeria, calling out abuses of power, corruption, and this new “democracy.”
On Femi’s brilliant self-titled 1995 release (out of print), one song clearly stands out - “Plenty Nonsense.” It calls out those nonsense things around him in Africa and Nigeria, (which at the time was a nation suffering in the clutches of its most brutal dictator - Sani Abacha)
(chorus)
You go see nonsense thing
wey go make you just dey cry
you go cry… blood go commot from you eye
You go see nonsense thing
wey go make you just dey vex
you go vex… till you break your head…
(verse)
So fire engine go come quench fire
Dem go forget bring water
They tell you to quench the fire you must pay
In the name of free education
Jakonde build school for poto poto
the schools no get window
pikin don carry table chair to school
Police no get better salary
So arm robbers dey rob, dey go
They make police stand for road
Disgrace themselves they beg e money
Bribery and corruption
come enter our body
honesty no dey pay again
Na illegal business dey prosper…
When Babanginda dey spoil Nigeria
Abiola no talk against am
he follow am dey chop, dey enjoy
Together they want make Nigerians craze…
Anything I have to add about this song is only drowned because the song speaks so loudly. Check it out and follow the links above to pick up some of the most socially-minded music coming out of Nigeria today.
Eugene
August 30th, 2005 at 7:01 pm
I think Femi is better atuned to and less myopic about the issues facing our people because he is Fela’s son, has travelled and is very well rounded individual.
August 31st, 2005 at 9:50 am
Uzo, I agree entirely.
September 1st, 2005 at 5:14 am
I think it is because of the sensitivity of the man Femi Kuti himself.
It shows in the melodies and the depth of yearning i hear in his music.
April 18th, 2006 at 5:15 pm
While I agree with Uzo and I was initailly a big Femi fan (I still am). I still think Femi’s take on social issues is watered down. but that is understandable he didn’t live through colonialism, prison, Obasanjo (well I take that back). But you get what I mean.
I’m still a big fan. I don’t miss his show ever summer in DC. But there will be only one ABAMI EDA.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:10 am
I disagree with you. Have you heard of Beautiful Nubia? Now if any artist in Nigeria is “real” and “activist” this is it. Check out his site beautifulnubia.com or myspace.com/beautifulnubia