Lagos | Monday
The family of Nigeria’s legendary Afro-beat star, Fela Kuti, will be finally compensated for the 1977 razing of their house by the army, a senior official was quoted as saying on Monday.
Bola Tinubu, governor of the state of Lagos, was quoted by the Guardian daily as saying that the Kuti family would be given land in Nigeria’s main city, Lagos.
“Twenty-five years ago, rampaging soldiers stormed the property of the Kutis, where their mother had her home, (and) Fela his African shrine,” a legendary Lagos nightclub, and destroyed the sprawling compound, Tinubu said.
“Not only were they not compensated, what was left was confiscated from them. We think it is time to take another look at that act of injustice.”
Fela’s house, named the Kalakuta Republic, was a Lagos landmark.
Tinubu said the Lagos State government would hold talks with the family of the star, who died of Aids in 1997, “so that we can find another appropriate land for them.
“This cannot compensate enough for the loss they have suffered but it is our little way of righting the wrong done to the family,” he added.
Tinubu paid high tribute to Fela, the father of the mocking, rhythmic protest music known as Afro-beat, who had thousands of fans at home and abroad.
“In his lifetime and in the legacies he left behind, represents for us the voice of the millions of people who are voiceless.
“In Fela’s life and music, you can find the history and dynamism of this city,” he said.
“The history of Lagos in the 20th century would not be complete without a mention of the Kalakuta Republic which unfortunately in that moment of madness was set ablaze in 1977.”
Fela Kuti had blamed current President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was military ruler at the time of the February 17, 1977 raid. Fela’s mother was thrown by soldiers from the first floor of the family home here and later died.
Obasanjo, however, recently appeared before a special rights panel and claimed he had no hand in the affair.
Fela Kuti’s brother, Beko Ransome-Kuti, had publicly petitioned for compensation over the invasion of their home.
He blamed Obasanjo and the current defence minister, Theophilus Danjuma, for their roles.
The raid started with a simple dispute over a traffic offence by one of Fela’s employees, Ransome-Kuti said.
“A little while after this disagreement, hundreds of fully armed soldiers … marched on and surrounded our family house,” he said.
“When they marched off five hours later the whole premises had been razed to the ground by fire … the soldiers (had) also looted property, raped women and physically assaulted scores of residents, visitors and passers-by,” he said.
The Kuti family last October re-opened the Africa Shrine nightclub at another venue. But the new venture lacks the popularity of its predecessor. – AFP