Fela was an original and undiluted prophet, who, unfortunately and like our Lord Jesus Christ, was not recognised by his people (Mt 13: 53-58 Lk 4:16). As the 2019 version of Felabration holds this week, I pay homage to the irrepressible and pro-people enigma (abami-eda) with this article, which was published in almost all our national dailies at the first anniversary of his death in 1978 (that was 21 years ago; for instance See Guardian, 7/8/98, page 29).
How time flies! It is now one year since Fela, a unique Nigerian who lived a unique life, died in a unique way and was also buried in a unique way. I remember Fela today and I wish to start that with a 20-year story.
One of my lecturers in the University of Ibadan (now a Professor of Public Finance and in charge at a first-generation university) was always setting his heart on fire” with the burning stick (cigarettes). Just before he came into the class one day, a Scripture Union student (we now call them born- again) went to the chalk-board and wrote “Smoking kills.” The lecturer entered the class few minutes thereafter, saw the admonition on the board, paused briefly and declared with a professorial finality: “Something must kill man.” That was in 1978.
The cause of death is just a mere instrument in the hand of God. After death comes two types of judgment; the judgment of God and the judgment of man. I will leave the judgment of God to Him and rather concentrate on the judgment of man.
Fela was the first Nigerian, and a notable one for that matter, publicly confirmed to have been aided to death. All sorts of self-righteous opinions followed his death – how he lived a depraved life, how he was a bad example to the youth, what a never-do-well he was and how he would rot in the hottest part of hell. But last August (1997), Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos was almost not enough for his funeral ceremonies and tributes flowed from all parts of the world: the people spoke by the way they mourned him.
Truly, Fela was an enigma. He moved about in sparse clothing, smoked the “forbidden weeds”, married 28 wives officially at a go, constituted a nuisance to his neighbours and his sexual life was something else. No one can say exactly when his non-conformist tendencies started. But by the time he read music instead of medicine, established his band (Koola Lobitos, Africa 70 and Egypt 80), became the chief priest of his own shrine and president of his own republic, it became really clear that the son of a revered gentleman and a fiery female activist was “mad”. But there was style, sense and mission in Fela’s “madness”.
There was a burning desire for justice and relentless support for fair play, an opposition to all sorts of man’s inhumanity to man and a disdain for all sorts of sacred cows. He used his music as an instrument of social and political activism. He looked at Nigerian politicians and declared Dem All Crazy and saw the political process as “demonstration of craze”. He took a swipe at our women for jettisoning the highest ideals of African womanhood under the pretext of playing lady, berating them for bleaching and self-imposed “yellow fever” and for their unnecessary shakara. This was long before Baba Fryo came up with Dem Go De Denge denge dem go do pose! He also had a word for teachers; “don’t teach me nonsense!”
Like all those who are against the establishment anywhere in the world, Fela had his own share of officially induced troubles He was probably the most prosecuted Nigerian, with up to 250 cases hanging on his neck by the time he died. The most popular was the E Don Beg affair while the last was the “weed smoking” case preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
One of the most repeated criticisms of the man was that he misdirected the youth by his antisocial behaviours. But those “wasted” by Fela, if any, were those already on their way to ruin.
Most of those who ended up in Fela’s shrine in the first instance were without parental control. In any case, Femi, Fela’s first son, is a perfect gentleman. He lived with Fela, played with Fela and yet lives a disciplined life.
One thing with Fela was that he lived an open life; he had no dual personality; there was no hypocrisy and he did not hide any aspect of his life from the public. Many Nigerians live two lives – public and private. Surely, if all of us were to live openly, many Nigerians, including the high and mighty, may well be “madder” than Fela.
In the judgment of man, what matters ultimately is the legacy of the dead. Since Fela’s death, there had been many “big” deaths around the world and each was caused by “something” different.
Incidentally, I do not know where Fela’s Shrine is; I never attended any of his shows and I have never seen Fela “live” before. I have some of his old tracks, though. But I wish Fela were still alive. Nigeria lost a rare personality in the man’s death. Everything about him was rare, including his politics and how he settled personal scores. He lived his life with a purpose. In the judgment of man, he definitely passed in flying colours. As to the judgment of God, I am not competent to comment. I will only plead with the Almighty to have mercy on his soul.
Other Matters: Customer Service week indeed!
Organisations exist to achieve predetermined SMART objectives. Whatever the objectives of a commercial organisation may be, it must include an element of profitability; at least enough to maintain its wealth creating capabilities, to continue to be in business and to be able to pursue the other objectives. But profits can only be made when there is a mutually beneficial exchange between the organisation and its customers and this exchange becomes more beneficial to both parties when the relationship is satisfactory and continuous. Resultantly, the ultimate major objective of every organisation is to acquire, satisfy and retain customers.
But this is not a straightforward affair. Other organisations are also targeting the same customers and in this era of liberalisation and globalisation, organisations everywhere are targeting customers everywhere. In addition to the intensity and pervasiveness of competition, the customers themselves are becoming more knowledgeable, enlightened, informed and increasingly difficult to satisfy and disloyal. Thus, importance of customers and the need to court and honour them, is indubitable. That was why the Customer Service Week was instituted, to celebrate the importance of customer service and of the people who serve and support customers. It is usually celebrated in the first full week of October (7-11/10/19) In 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognised event. The theme of 2019 CSW is The Magic of Service.
On 9/10/19, I went to one of my banks, an old-generation regional bank. I noticed that the cashier, a very friendly and conscientious young man, was wearing a very fresh native shirt. I complimented him but then, I noticed that the few staff in that branch (3 of them) were also equally “yoked” I then asked, whatsgwan and he informed me that it was CSW! So, I asked him what is in it for the customers and he showed me a tea plate with about 10 pieces of tom-tom!
So, the service providers were worth a fresh attire but somebody like myself who had banked with them for 15 years. Was worth just a piece of Tom-Tom! And nobody mentioned anything about the CSW until I started asking questions. I went to another bank, the one which recently and mercilessly swallowed another bank, and where I had banked for 23 years and there were also a tea-plate of tom-tom like candies. Nobody mentioned anything about CSW and as I was leaving, I saw them hanging 4 pieces of balloon at the frontage.
Again, my worth as a customer was one piece of tom-tom. And when I went online, I saw the HQs of these banks, saying the wonderful things that awaited the customers in the 2019 CSW. Is it that the banks do not really appreciate the importance of customers, or that they were busy dipping their hands into our account balances or that there was a disconnect between the HQs and the branches?
Whatever the reason was, it was sad and disappointing indeed! In Ghana, the staff of Barclays Bank (Grandfather of our own UBN) washed the cars of their clients as a part of the CSW celebration. By the way, how did OOU, other universities and MDAs celebrate the CSW? Did they even remember that it was CSW? I am just asking!
