Who no know last last know!
The Felabration festival takes place around the world. It usually comes up during the birthday of the late Afrobeat Legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. This event is attended by most Nigerians as well as fans of the afrobeat legend round the world in various places.
In Nigeria, the birthplace of the Felabration Festival, it is even celebrated across different bodies in different ways. Which ever way and which ever place it is celebrated, it is done so with one goal. To celebrate the life & legend of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
The shrine is the venue of the festival in Lagos. It is the main venue. The theme of the Felabration festival for this year is 'Who no know go know'. The theme song was done by Ms Chief. (listen & download here; read lyrics).
Shrine night is never complete without some good ol' #Fela dancers' twerk moves #Felabration2014
Felabration 2014
Backstage #FELABRATION2014 with Yenu Kuti last day, the grand finale, come watch me perform the theme song #WhoNoKnowGoKnow
The Felabration festival held from October 12th to the 19th. Seven days of activities from movie screening to music concerts to DJ performances to TGIF to dance offs on stage. The comedians were not left out.
The 'Finding Fela' movie was screend on the first day of the event at the Shrine. The movie showed what the life of Fela was and tried to re-create the enigma, intensity, inspiration and teacher that Fela was. The movie is directed by Alex Gibney.
The next day of the festival had a music concert in the evening. This is usually the high point of the festival. The week long music concerts. Over 50 performers from musicians to entertainers to Djs to comedians were scheduled to perform, make people feel good and create awareness about current situations in the country.
Finding Fela
The festival does not relent on informing & educating the masses as Fela did when he performed at the Shrine so many times. Top acts in the country perform alongside upcoming acts in an atmosphere of acceptance, fans, tourists, fela lovers and event goers.
There are also foreign acts scheduled to perform like Wanlov from Ghana & Don Carlos. Each night had different stars that the audience will be thrilled to see perform. Each concert night usually starts by 7-8pm, warms up till 10 -11, before hitting the high times by 2-4am in the morning.
This is repeated everyday till the festival is over. People can be seen waiting for the performance of the night by 3-5pm either drinking or eating in anticipation of a dancing, concert night.
Tales from last night/this morning: Reggae legend Don Carlos performs '7 days a week'. When I was young I used to listen to this song and cry (because, inexplicable sorrow), now that I'm on the 9-5 grind I can't even pity myself #AfrikanShrine #Felabration2014 #LagosNightLife #LagosWeekends
Audience at Felabration 2014
During the music concerts, the venue considerably heats up with the amount of body on the inside. There is sometimes almost no space to move. This is a testimony to the love, loyalty and passion given to Fela by the people. Funny thing to note is that a long queue waits outside desperately trying to get in while the inside is full.
It co-incidentally rains in this hot moment and the Shrine cools down. This gives rise to local talk about Fela always watching over his Shrine even in death.
Post by My Destination Nigeria.Felabration ended on 19th, October. Femi Kuti, the last artiste scheduled to perform (also the son of Fela) takes the stage to give the audience some real afrobeat tunes. Most people 'survive' the long week solely to see Femi perform on Sunday.
Plans are already going on to make the next one even better. Felabration 2015 promises to be better, bigger and more fun. Felabration is one of the nights to experience a typical night life in Nigeria.
@femiakuti live on stage at New Afrika Shrine #felabration2014 ends tonight #felakuti #abujaruns #whonoknowgoknow #felabration2015 #shokishoki #abamieda
Nneka backstage at the New Afrikan Shrine #felabration2014 continues.
Oct 10, 2014 at 4:35pm PDT
You can find pictures from Felabration 2014 on our Facebook page. Tweet at us to talk, share, comment on the event @mydnigeria, or cc us on your instagram posts @mydnigeria.
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