FELA: THE MAN WHO SAW TOMORROW- MARK OMODIA

He called himself Anikulapo which means "one who has death in his pouch".
He was an enigma regarded by many as a musical genius; definitely the most popular musician to come from Nigeria. Only one word can describe who he was - FELA.
Fela was more than just a musician, he was an activist. It is impossible to distinguish between the man and his music as they soon became one and the same: the symbol of the struggle of the Nigerian masses. He dropped hit after hit, each one a ballistic missile against the corruption and injustice of the government and society at large. He was arrested and assaulted severally, a martyr he was indeed.
Below is a part of the lyrics of "Teacher don't teach me nonsense"
Let us face ourselves for Afrika
Na de matter of Afrika
This part-ee of my song
Na all the problems of this world
In we dey carry, for Afrika
Wey no go ask-ee me
WHICH ONE? (*after each line)
Problems of inflation
Problems of corruption
Of mismanagement
Stealing by government
Nothing we dey carry
All over Afrika
Na de latest one
Na him dey make me laugh
AUSTERITY (*after each line)
Austeri-
Austeri-
Na him dey latest one
Na him dey make me laugh
Why I dey laugh?
Man no fit cry?
If you didn't know the song, you'll probably think he is singing about recent occurrences. Nigeria still faces the same problems he sang about in this song and others. Fela, together with people of his time were people who saw tomorrow; not because they were prophets, but because not much has changed since then (problem wise). Furthermore, the prominent men in politics then are still the key players
in this modern dispensation.

The soldiers just changed from uniforms to babarigas and agbadas. Some of the military administrators or government officials of the past now serve as governors,
senators, ministers, titans of industry and political godfathers.
Thus, on a general note, Fela sang about the same problems we face now and condemned the same leaders who still rule us today. Could it be that Nigeria is just doomed to be an "officers' mess" or is this actually a second chance for them to right their wrongs and redeem the nation from the mess some of them played a role in putting us in?