PROMPT: Fela Anikulapo Kuti is one of the African continent’s most famous musicians and historical figures, known at home and abroad for shaping politics and creating new musical styles. Using Tejumola Olaniyan’s scholarly analysis of Fela and his music, consider the following questions in a three-five-page (double-spaced) essay. What is the “postcolonial incredible” described by Olaniyan? How did Fela Kuti confront this and the legacies of colonial rule on the continent? How did he shape history of his new nation? Give specific examples from his life or music that tie to the historical processes and events discussed in lectures in the last weeks of class.
