Fela Kuti and Music Under Military Rule How Fela Kuti Used Music to Speak in a Time of Silence

Fela Anikulapo Kuti performing in Lagos during the 1970s.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Nigeria was under military rule, like many other African countries at the time. The government kept a close watch on public speech. Newspapers were monitored, protests were restricted, and criticism of those in power often led to arrest.

It was during this period that Fela Anikulapo Kuti became widely known. Fela was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, western Nigeria. He came from a politically active family. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a well-known activist, while his father was a school principal. Fela studied music in London and later returned to Nigeria, where he developed Afrobeat, a style that combined jazz, highlife, funk, and traditional African rhythms and his songs talked about what many people were already experiencing but could not say openly.

Fela used music to speak about corruption, violence by the state, and the role of foreign powers in African economies. In Zombie, he criticised soldiers who followed commands without question. Sorrow, Tears and Blood described what happened to ordinary people when the military used force. Coffin for Head of Stateaddressed government killings and the lack of consequences that followed. These songs were often long and repeated the same points. This helped listeners understand the message and remember it.

Fela Kuti’s Album, Zombie.

Fela performed regularly at the Afrika Shrine in Lagos. People came to listen, talk, and exchange ideas. As time moved on, it became a space where political issues were discussed openly. This made Fela visible and difficult for the authorities to ignore.

The government reacted with arrests and raids. Fela was detained many times. His home and communal living space, known as Kalakuta Republic, was located in Lagos. It was attacked and destroyed during a military operation. These actions were meant to frighten him and limit his influence.

Fela was not publicly executed, but he lived under constant pressure. Years of beatings, imprisonment, and harassment affected his health. He died on 2 August 1997. Many people linked his death to the long period of violence and stress he had endured.

Fela Kuti’s story shows how music can become part of the public's life, especially when opportunities to speak are closed. His work is a record of how culture was used to talk about power, fear, and everyday life under military rule.

2026 Bernice Temitayo Olusaiye | Talkafricang.com