The home of the late Afrobeat Legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
which has now been turned into a museum was opened to the public at an
inauguration ceremony in Lagos yesterday. Although the museum is not yet
complete, his family wanted it to be opened on October 15, which would
have been his 74th birthday
.
The date also marks the beginning of Felabration, a
week long series of festivities to celebrate a Nigerian
multi-instrumentalist musician, human activist, tourism stakeholder and
political maverick.
Fela’s son, Femi Kuti told the AFP that the family decided to open it on October 15 to symbolise his birthday. “The museum is not finished, but we had to make the opening today. The launch symbolises his birthday and his struggle.”
The
museum which has been renamed Kalakuta Republic Museum is located on
Gbemisola Street, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. It was renovated by the
Lagos State Government and is to be and managed by Total Consult. Fela’s
trademark items like dresses, shoes and household materials are on
display in the house. His bedroom, sitting rooms, photographs, with over
3,000 of Fela’s clothes are on display. Yeni Kuti,
daughter of Fela said the public will be able to see the last bedsheet
Fela used before he died in 1997, his saxophone and others. Fela’s
producer and artist, Lemmy Gariokwu, the curator of the museum, said by
the time other necessary things have been put in place people will be
seeing Fela as in his real life.
The museum is one of the Kuti’s family efforts to promote the afrobeat musician’s legacy.
No comments:
Post a Comment