Nigeria: the use of a song by Fela Kuti by the presidential party is controversial

Bola Tinubu (our photo), candidate of the presidential party has also had to deny a rumor that he would transfer the Nigerian capital from Abuja to Lagos if he were elected.

REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

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1 min

As the campaign for the presidential election of February 2023 begins to accelerate in Nigeria, the family of Fela Kuti had to split a press release to denounce the use without authorization of one of the songs of the king of the "afrobeat" in a political video. 

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With our correspondent in Lagos,

A song in praise of Eko – the Yoruba name for the city of Lagos – sung by the great Fela Kuti.

Nothing like it to give rhythm to a video retracing the first big meeting of Bola Tinubu in the megalopolis, last weekend.

Except that this montage was not really to the taste of Femi Kuti, the son of the legend of "Afrobeat", who published a press release to dissociate himself from this musical choice.

“ 

Respect for intellectual property

 ”

" 

," he wrote, before calling for " 

 ”.

It is true that it is hard to imagine Fela Kuti, slayer of corruption and eternal rebel, accepting that his music be used for a political meeting.

Rumor

And this, even if the song lent itself to it, since Lagos – which has the largest number of registered voters – is at the heart of the campaign of Bola Tinubu, himself a former governor of the city.

This Tuesday, the presidential party candidate also had to deny a rumor that he would transfer the Nigerian capital from Abuja to Lagos if he were elected.

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