I met Professor Tejumola
Olaniyan a couple of times just before his exciting work: “Arrest the Music:
Fela and His Rebel Art and Politics” was released.
The amiable
scholar who teaches African Cultural Studies and English at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison, told me some interesting stories about Fela during the
course of our conversation. The most fascinating for me, is the growing
popularity of the Afrobeat king at leading centres of learning in the United
States and other parts of the free world. According to him, Fela is currently a
subject of great interrogation and extensive study, especially on issues of
popular culture and mass mobilization.
Olaniyan also
revealed the origin of his bizarre title, “Arrest the Music!” “Arrest the
Music!” was actually a military order by an unlettered soldier on sighting Fela
on the performing arena during one of those government sponsored raids on
Kalakuta, Fela’s former residence around Ojuelegba area of Lagos in 1977.
But Fela was
indeed, the music! On this score, I think the untutored soldier voiced unusual
philosophy.
