Felabration 2013: Celebrating Afrobeat legend

Fela

This year’s Felabration festival kicked up on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, with secondary schools debate which was held at the Freedom Park, Lagos. We gathered that the debate was won by Oriwu Senior Secondary School.

The event officially commenced on 14 October with a symposium at First Floor, Kongi's Harvest Art Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos.
Titled: Movement of the People: The Fela/Bob Marley Perspective, Prof John Collins (Bokoor Studios, Ghana) was the special guest and other speakers among others include: Funsho Ogundipe (Aiyetoro) and Gboyega Oyedele (Afrologic).

Others were: Emeka Keazor (Ikenga);, Seun Olota (Fusion), Ade Bantu (Afropolitan),
Audu Maikori (Chocolate City), and Basil Okafor (Veteran Art Journalist).
The discourse was followed by a grand concert tagged: Afrobeat Tuesday which bgan around 7pm at the main stage of the Freedom Park, featuring Funsho Ogundipe and Aiyetoro; Gboyega Afrologic Oyedele; Seun Olota and Fusion; Emeka Keazor and Ikenga

The festival’s street carnival took place on Saturday 19 October, across the streets of Ikeja, Lagos. These include street dances, choreographed dancing and brilliant display by colourfully attired gymnasts performing atop flatbed trucks. But the music segment of the festival held at the New Afrika Shrine, Ikeja, Lagos.

True to the words of Fela’s son, Femi Kuti, who is also the Head of Security of Organising Committee, there was adequate security measures to forestall any lapses in the events that have taken place in this year’s show.

October 20 was the high point of this year’s festival as Femi Kuti and Kymani Marley, son of reggae music legend, Bob Marley were on the same stage to thrill audience.

Also, fuji music exponent, King Wasiu Marshal (K1), 2Face Idibia and Africa rapper No. M.I, among others featured in this year’s Felabration which was set up to celebrate the life, times and music of the genius Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.