Fela Anklápó Kuti, also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti on October 15, 1938 in Lagos, Nigeria.
He is widely considered the father of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that fuses West African music with American funk and jazz. He was dubbed one of Africa’s most “difficult and compelling music singers” at the height of his fame. According to AllMusic, he is a musical and sociopolitical voice of international relevance.
Kuti was the son of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a Nigerian women’s rights activist. Following early international experiences, he and his band Africa 70 (including drummer and musical director Tony Allen) rose to prominence in Nigeria during the 1970s, when he was an outspoken critic and target of Nigeria’s military juntas.
He formed the Kalakuta Republic commune in 1970, which declared its independence from military administration. The community was destroyed in a raid in 1978. He was imprisoned by Muhammadu Buhari’s regime in 1984 but was released after 20 months. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to record and perform. Since his death in 1997, his son, Femi Kuti, has overseen reissues and compilations of his songs.
How many times Fela jailed?
He was arrested over 200 times and spent time in jail, including a 20-month sentence following his arrest in 1984.
