Beyond the Frontiers of Activism and Social Change: The Theatrical Components of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s Music

Abstract

Fela Anikulapo Kuti (1938–1997) distinguished himself as one of the foremost Nigerian musicians in the Afrobeat genre by identifying with the masses in Africa. He achieved a populist appeal by critiquing social ills and advocating for the establishment of an egalitarian society. He also identified aspects of social decay and challenged tyranny in the corridors of power. However, while many scholars have focused on the potency of his music as a profound, revolutionary artistic penetration of the African socio-political space, its theatrical components have not received sufficient attention, despite some scholars having researched this area. This article contributes to the growing body of literature on the role of theatre in the success of Fela’s Afrobeat music. Through the framework of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, the article argues that, in addition to activism and social change, Fela’s music achieved artistic immediacy by adopting all the appurtenances of theatre, such as drama, audience participation, storytelling, costuming, and improvisation. The success of Fela’s Afrobeat music derives from a combination of artistic flourishes primarily achieved through various theatrical components, which the new generation of Afrobeat musicians in Africa continues to utilize for the success of their art.