INSTANT NEWS

Maverick entertainer and activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as ‘Charly Boy’, is set to perform at the 2019 annual Felabration fiesta, a week-long celebration of the life and times Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

The event is holding from Oct. 14 to 20, at the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, with both local and international artistes slated to perform.

In a video shared on his social media page on Tuesday, Charly Boy said he was set to perform alongside other artistes at the grand-finale of the fiesta.

According to the 68-year-old showbiz maestro, who released his debut highlife album over three decades ago and recently returned to the stage, his performance was in the spirit of immortalising Fela’s ideas.


The former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) said he will present his latest songs at the show. “Make a date with me, alongside other great Nigerian artistes on Sunday, Oct. 20, as we all gather together to give honour to whom honour is due, the legendary baba Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

“Come listen to my new tunes as we all gather if we can find a cure to our mumu.”
Charly Boy had earlier told NAN that he has decided to use music as a tool to inspire ordinary Nigerians, especially youths, to realise that power truly belongs to them.

He explained that he was leading an advocacy and enlightenment campaign on the “Social Contract’’ to Nigerians across all backgrounds.

“Music has been my age-long passion, and this time I am using it to awake the consciousness of all Nigerians, no matter where they are, towards building the country they desire.”

NAN also reports that Felabration was founded by Fela Anikulapo’s daughter, Yeni Kuti, as an annual festival to honour and celebrate the ideals that the late founder of Afrobeats music and socio-political activist lived for.

This year’s edition, tagged “From Lagos with Love”, opened on Monday at Neca Hall with a talk show on the topic, ‘Teacher don’t teach me nonsense’.

The panel included Ugandan singer and politician, Bobi Wine, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and British rapper, Akala.

The first day also had electrifying performances from promising Nigerian singers, including Fuji singer, Remi Aluko, singer Dotman, Trod, Picazo Rhap and Yomi Blaize.
Fast-rising versatile singer Zinoleesky, popularly called the ‘show killer’, also performed at the opening day.

The role of the media is sometimes more important than that of government, said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Femi, who was represented by the lawmaker representing Bende federal constituency of Abia State, Benjamin Kalu, said the media remains the fourth arm of government and must live up to its responsibilities.

He said, “The 9th House of Representatives under my leadership sees the media as more than a mere source of news but as an instrument of unity, peace and national development. We consider the media to be the 4th arm of government with a critical role to play that can even be more important than that of those in government.

“But while we do so, we all must also take responsibility to ensure that the media is not used to perpetuate pessimistic truths but reinforce positive narratives.”

“This is why we started this in Section 2.14 of our legislative agenda. We will partner the media in our joint task for nation-building. We will ensure that freedom of information is strengthened and the media is not gagged.