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  The hit Broadway musical about the life and music of Nigerian performer and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is scheduled to be performed in his home town of Lagos, Nigeria making it the first Broadway show to be performed in Sub-Saharan Africa. FELA!, the landmark Broadway musical, which won three Tony Awards (Broadway’s highest honor) including Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), is coming to Lagos from April 20th to 25th. It will be performed at the prestigious Eko Hotel’s New Expo Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. This critically lauded musical will star its original Broadway cast with Sahr Ngaujah reprising his Tony-nominated role of Fela Kuti with music provided by the internationally renowned Antibalas as well as other members of the New York City Afro-beat community. Concurrently with the Broadway production, FELA! opened and triumphed at London’s Royal National Theater for a three-month sold-out run. That production was nominated for three Olivier Awards, London

Story by Niyi Tabiti Photo courtesy:Fela photo Library Dead or alive, Fela Anikulapo Kuti remains the most enigmatic music phenomenon ever to come out of Nigeria. That is why his post humous birthday celebration has continued to attract thousands of people from all walks of life. This year’s edition is no exception as thousands of ardent music lovers who believe so much in ‘Fela-sophy’, music researchers and fans troop en masse to the new Afrikka Shrine (owned by his son, Femi Kuti) to pay ‘Baba 70’ homage even in death.Starting started on Tuesday 14 and ended on Sunday 19 October 2008. Of course, it brought alive, the memories of the late ‘Abami Eda’ (The strange man) who lived and sang against corrupt practices in government. He was harassed by security agents, arrested and jailed at different times.So incredible was Fela that he would be remembered as the first Nigerian artiste who composed songs and openely berated military governments in power.Unknown Soldier, one of his po