By IFECHI OKOH

Late Afrobeat music maverick, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, died over two decades ago. However, his memories rush to mind anytime his followers behold Seun Anikulapo-Kuti, aptly described metaphorically as a chip of the old block. The young man not only looks like Fela, he talks like him, dresses like his late mentor and father, performs on stage, too, like him. One titillating exposure which fans don’t actually know of is that Seun does marijuana like his late father because it is natural and also good for his health. However, his late father didn’t explain to anybody why he did it till his death. Interestingly, many know him for it. Here is more of Seun: concerning his youth, Egypt 80 band which his father left behind and his beliefs in certain aspects of life and living which zoomed to the fore when our Contributing Editor, IFECHI OKOH bumped into him for a brief, but explosive and insightful encounter. Below is the result of the encounter. Enjoy the gist!

You were 14 years old when Fela died. What do you miss most about him?

Well, Fela was my father, you know. It’s a very long time since he died. The most important thing about him is his physical presence. Honestly, I sincerely miss his not being around now. I imagine what would have happened today, if I was able to have a discussion with him, knowing all the things that I know now. These are things which I have been missing about him.

Which is your most favourite of Fela’s song and why?

They are just two. And the two are “Look and Laugh” and “Original Suffer head”. He successfully put the dynamics of music in the arrangement and melody of both songs. This, too, he reflected effectively in other hit compositions.

What is it like leading the Egypt 80 Band over the years?

For me, it is very easy because the bunch of band members are very experienced professionals. For this reason, I don't need to tell any of them what to do as far as Fela’s music is concerned. This, they know, and do always with ease, thereby making the music to flow effortlessly on stage. By this singular act, they have been helping me steadily in no small measure as the lead vocalist. On their part as, as the veterans they are, they have since made it a tradition to train the young ones in the band for easy succession. With this resolve, we have never had a case of novice in the band till date. Hence, I can tell you with all confidence that all of us in the band are well acquainted with all Fela’s numbers. We are, no doubt, large in number as a band. Hence, it is quite expensive to manage. However, we are superb in terms of organisation and discipline.

What is the amazing part of your life that people do not know?

Well, I try as much as possible to keep everything about myself open. However, I don't think people know that if not for music, I would have been playing football. When I say football, I don’t mean the American type of soccer.

What has been your most embarrassing moment?

Haa! My mistake? My embarrassing moment happened when I was nine years old. The landmark happenstance took place one night when I wanted to open a show for my father as usual. That fateful night, I was so neck-deep in an archaic session, and it was already time for me to open show as usual for my father. It was exactly five minutes to go before my father would come on stage. I had to dress up as quickly as possible so that I can make it without Fela knowing what really happened. It was at this moment, Motun, my half sister, rushed into the picture to assist me hastily. It was during this desperate period that she urged me to knot my native pant quickly. But unfortunately, I couldn’t do just that properly before I rushed off to the stage where my inability to knot my pant well reared its ugly head as my pant slipped down. Oh no! The experience was better imagined than relayed. Honestly! Till date, it is still haunting me.

Do you smoke?

Yes, I do. But I don’t smoke cigarettes. I don’t believe that any human being has the right to tell nature what to do at any point in time. Nature itself, believes in the usefulness of marijuana. However, I think that mankind is pompous. Can you say earthquake or tsunami is illegal? You can’t because whether you say it or not, both are natural phenomenon. God made them and they must happen. Nothing can stop them from happening. It is the pomposity of man that encouraged him to frown at those who smoke marijuana and go on to condemn them. I do marijuana because it is natural and so good for man. Hence, I don't agree with those condemning marijuana and its smokers. People should stop disturbing smokers of marijuana since people can regard earthquake or tsunami as natural phenomenon. There's nothing anybody can do about it than to see its good effects on man.

Do you believe in the word Mister?

Naturally, I don’t believe in the title, Mister. This is because the word itself means miss your star. Hence, the word itself does not relate well with me. The word too, also means a term used by the whites to describe an English gentleman, of which I am not.

You have spent sometime in the Western world. With your knowledge about their culture, what is your take on the African culture and tradition?

African culture and tradition are getting extinct. Our society does not encourage us to embrace our culture again like in the years back. For now, everything revolves around the oyinbo’s religion, thereby relegating our culture which people see largely as all being about witchcraft and other negatives about the African religion and culture. As far as they are concerned, their religion is to promote positive ideals, while the African ones are synonymous with magic and evil as depicted in witchcraft. Hence, I maintain that our culture would soon be extinct.

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