Just as the Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti has been honoured with a commemorative plaque in London, a new documentary to be aired on BBC 2 today tells his life story by director Biyi Bandele.
The installation is part of the Black Plaque Project, which will see 30 plaques honouring key Black figures around the city.
From Plimsoll Productions comes the story of pioneering Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, who created a sound for a continent.
In 1997 over one million people gathered in Lagos for the funeral of Fela Kuti, Africa’s biggest artist, who gave the world Afrobeat, yet was also a thorn in the side of Nigeria’s military regimes.
A counter-cultural revolutionary, he fought injustice with his music and provoked society with his lifestyle, on one occasion marrying 27 wives in a single ceremony. When he died from a disease that carried huge stigma in Africa, there was fear his legacy would die with him, but this film shows that the impact of his life and music is still felt today.
Exclusive testimony reveals the complex man behind the maverick performer. When: Saturday, 21 November 9:30pm to 10:55pm.
Director Biyi Bandele
Producer Siobhan Logue
Executive Producer Richard Klein
Editor John Gillanders
Production Manager Sarah Vaughton
You must log in to post a comment.