The memories
of iconic Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti continues to linger among music
lovers and aficionados all over the world as this year’s Felabration ended at the weekend amidst pomp and pageantry.
Felabration is the annual music and
entertainment concert which started in 2000 and dedicated to the ideals of Fela
who died in August 2 1997. The weeklong celebration which was sponsored by
another iconic brand 7Up took place mainly inside the African Shrine, Ikeja-
Lagos. With many activities within the week like a debate for Senior Secondary
Schools titled “Poverty is Not an Accident like Slavery and Apartheid, a
Symposium, a drama titled “Fela Son of Kuti”.
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| R-L: Afrobeat King, Femi Kuti; Head of
Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc; Norden Thurston, CEO, Trace Urban
Nigeria, Samuel Onyemelukwe; Raul Sunil and other guests |
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Tuface Idibia on stage
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Ghetto Soldier, Daddy Showkey performing
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Felabration 2015 tagged “Just Like That” started
on Monday October 12 and ended on Sunday October 18 and attracted international
icons such as: the elegant Seyi Shay; ‘Rainmaker’, Majek Fashek; sonorous Tuface
Idibia, ‘Lagos Jam crooners’, Third World; the ‘Chairman’ MI; songstress Sandra
Izsadore; Ghetto Soldier,
Daddy Showkey; king of Afrobeat, Femi Kuti and London based London Afrobeat.
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| Seyi
Shay got the audience singing along |
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| Femi
Kuti thrilling the crowd |
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| International
group, Third World wowing the massive crowd with hit tracks |
Others are Yemi Alade, who continued her “search” for ‘Johnny’;
Afrobeat Prince, Seun Kuti, dancehall MC, General Pype amongst many other acts
that performed at the 7Up sponsored Felabration.
The massive crowd at the shrine could fill up a standard
football stadium with many fans outside who couldn’t get in but still remained
as they enjoyed ice cold 7Up and also got 7Up branded T-shirts with pictures of
Fela on it.
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| Audience |
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| Audience |
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| Yemi
Alade still searching for “Johnny” at Felabration |
According to
the Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Mr. Norden Thurston ”Fela is
an international brand who made a difference in this world with his music and
7Up is an international brand that continues to make a difference in the live
and passion of people globally through music, education and sports.”
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| London
Afrobeat, showed how universal Afrobeat music has become |
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| Up
and coming artistes performing on the big stage |
One of the
highlights of the festival was the return of ‘Rainmaker’, Majek Fashek who did
not disappoint teeming fans as they screamed with excitement with every tune
the legend sang in reminiscence of the musician’s hay days.
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| Audience |
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| DJ |
Seyi Shay was
another standout performer on Sunday with her song “Crazy”, a duet with Wizkid
who wasn’t on stage with her but the audience sang along with Seyi from start
to finish giving the song a new feel.
Femi Kuti
thanked everyone who had a hand in the success story of Felabration, his elder sister Yeni Kuti who is the brainchild of Felabration and Seven-Up Bottling Company
Plc who have over the years been supporting Africa’s biggest celebration of any
entertainment icon, Felabration.
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