Fela Anilkulapo-Kuti's 'Beast of No Nation'

Following his release from prison in 1986, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti released the album, ‘Beast of No Nation’ to critical acclaim. The song came both as a scathing criticism of the Nigerian military regime at the time and in response to the event surrounding his detention and prison experience. Specifically composed in themes highlighting, among other things, the characteristic brutal nature of military rule, human rights abuses, undemocratic makeup of the United Nations, and apartheid in South Africa, Fela used the song to expose political figures and institutions which for him represented tools of repression and oppression. While the narratives in the Beast of No Nation was framed to show Fela’s own frustrations with the Nigerian state vis-à-vis his caustic impression of the state of affairs of the global community, this paper contends that a number of issues raised in the song were not reflective of the ‘true’ account of what transpired at the time. This study, therefore, explores, among others, the historical context vis-à-vis political, national, international, and personal dimensions to the song. The primary energy of the study is to set some of the records straight by critiquing Fela’s opinions, and the ‘reality’ of what actually occurred, and statements made by other people. The study, hence, contends that most of the themes in the song may not prove Fela wrong but allow for speculation on his own artistic vision and pronouncements.