Biko, Fela Kuti's genius will never cease to amaze me. Till today, a song that's nearly as old as I am contains every single issue that was present then, now!

Has anything really changed?

Lyrics to Beasts of No Nation, released in 1989.

Ah, let's get now into another underground spiritual game
Just go dey help me dey answer, you go dey say, "Aya kata", oh ya

O feshe lu, Aya kata
O feshe gban, Aya kata
(2x)

O feshe wan, Aya kata
O feshe gben, Aya kata

Aya kata
Aya Koto
Aya Kiti
Aya Kutu

O feshe lu, Aya kata
O feshe gban, Aya kata
(2x)

Ohhhhh

Basket mouth wan start to leak again oh
Basket mouth wan open mouth again oh
Abi you don forget say I sing ee-oh
Basket mouth wan open mouth again oh
I sing-i say, I go my mouth like basket ee-oh, ma lanu be apere
Basket mouth wan open mouth again oh
(2x)

Basket mouth wan start to leak again oh
Basket mouth wan open mouth again oh

Fela wetin you go sing about?
Dem go worry me
(3x)

Dem go worry me, worry me worry, worry, worry, worry
Dem go worry me
Dey wan to make us sing about prison
Dem go worry me
Dem go worry me, worry me, worry, worry all over da town
Dem go worry me
Dey wan to know about prison life
Dem go worry me
Dem go worry me, worry me, worry, worry all over da town
Dem go worry me

Dey wan to make us sing about prison
Dem go worry me
Dem go worry me, worry me, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry
Dem go worry me
Dey wan to know about prison life
Dem go worry me, worry me, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry, worry

Fela, wetin you go sing about?
Dem go worry me
Dem go worry me, worry me, worry, worry, worry, worry
Dem go worry me

The time wey I dey for prison, I call am inside world
The time wey I dey outside prison, I call am outside world
Na craze world, no be outside world
Craze world
No be outside the police dey
Craze world
No be outside the soldier dey
Craze world
No be outside the court dem dey
Craze world
No be outside the magistrate dey
Craze world
No be outside the judge dem dey
Craze world
Na craze world be dat
Craze world
No be outside Buhari dey
Craze world
Na craze man be dat
Craze world
Animal in craze man skin-i
Craze world
Na craze world be dat
Craze world
No be outside Idiagbon dey
Craze world
Na craze man be dat
Craze world
Animal in craze man skin-i
Craze world
Na craze world be dat
Craze world
No be outside dem find me guilty
Craze world
No be outside dem jail me five years
Craze world
I no do nothing
Craze world
No be outside dem judge dey beg ee-o
Craze world
Na craze world be dat oh, Na craze world be dat
Craze world
No be outside dem kill dem students
Craze world
Soweto, Zaria, and Ife
Craze world
Na craze world be dat, ee-oh
Craze world
Na craze world be dat,
Craze world
No be outside all dis dey happen
Craze world
Na craze world be dat, ee-oh
Craze world
Na craze world be dat, ee-oh
Craze world
Na craze world be dat, ee-oh
Craze world
Na craze world be dat, ee-oh
Craze world
Na craze world be dat, ee-oh
Craze world

Make you hear this one
War against indiscipline, ee-oh
Na Nigerian government, ee-oh
Dem dey talk ee-oh
My people are useless, my people are senseless, my people are indiscipline
Na Nigerian government, ee-oh
Dem dey talk be dat
My people are useless, my people are senseless, my people are indiscipline
I never hear dat before oh
Make government talk, ee-oh
My people are useless, my people are senseless, my people are indiscipline
Na Nigerian government, ee-oh
Dem dey talk be dat
Which kind talk be dat oh?
Na Craze talk be dat ee-oh
Na animal talk be dat –oh
Na animal talk be dat –oh

[Chorus]
Many leaders as you see dem
Na different disguise dem dey oh
Animal in human skin
Animal e put u tie oh
Animal e wear agbada
Animal e put u suit u
(2x)

These disguising leaders ee-oh, na wah for dem
Dem hold meeting everywhere, dem reach America
(2x)

Dem call the place United Nations
Hear oh another animal talk
Wetin united inside United Nations?
Who & who unite for United Nations?
No be there Thatcher & Argentina dey
No be there Reagan & Libya dey
Israel versus Lebanon
Iran-i-oh versus Iraq-i
East West Block versus West Block East
No be there dem dey oh United Nations
Dis "united" United Nations
One veto vote is equal to 92...or more, or more
What kind sense be dat, na animal sense (2x)

[Chorus]

Dem go hold meeting oh, Dem go start yap human beings
Animal talk don start again
Dash dem human rights
(2x)

How animal go know say dem no born me as slave?
How animal go know say slave trade don pass?
And, they wan dash us human rights
Animal must talk to human beings
Give dem human rights
I beg-I oh, make you hear me well-u well
I beg-I oh, make you hear me very well
Human rights na my property
So therefore, you can't dash me my property
Human rights na my property
Dey wan dash us human rights
Some people say why I dey talk like dis
No be talk like dis dem take to carry me go prison ee-oh"
No be me dey talk, na Prime Minister Botha dey talk ee-oh (2x)

Him say, this uprising will bring out the beast in us
This uprising will bring out the beast in us
(3x)

Ke ji keke; my argument

Botha na friend to Thatcher & Reagan
Botha na friend to some other leaders too
And together dem wan dash us human rights
Animal wan dash us human rights
Animal can't dash me human rights
Animal can't dash us human rights

[Chorus]

Beasts of no nation- Egbe Ke Gbe na bad society
Beasts of no nation, Egbe Ke Gbe
Beasts of no nation, eturu gbe ke

[Chorus]

Beasts of no nation, Egbe Ke Gbe
Beasts of no nation, eturu gbe ke

SOURCE: http://genius.com/Fela-kuti-beast-of-no-nation-annotated



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCpua4dvUXs

should we read the lyrics?

munchi:
should we read the lyrics?

Well considering that is the point of my post... If you do - especially if you're familiar with the song - you'd appreciate just how relevant his words are in today's political landscape as it were in the 80's.

Or equally just focus on the places where I had highlighted the lyrics in bold font.

Bre:


Well considering that is the point of my post... If you do - especially if you're familiar with the song - you'd appreciate just how relevant his words are in today's political landscape as it was in the 80's.

Or equally just focus on the place where I had highlighted the lyrics in bold font.

have read it....
making whole lot of sense..

outside nd inside world....
he just said our primary problems in a nut shell

team fella

Bre:


Well considering that is the point of my post... If you do - especially if you're familiar with the song - you'd appreciate just how relevant his words are in today's political landscape as it was in the 80's.

Or equally just focus on the place where I had highlighted the lyrics in bold font.

have read it....
making whole lot of sense..

outside nd inside world....
he just said our primary problems in a nut shell
Nigeria has been bleeped since 80 s


team fella..

munchi:

have read it....
making whole lot of sense..

outside nd inside world....
he just said our primary problems in a nut shell
Nigeria has been bleeped since 80 s


team fella..

He was and will forever be a true Nigerian. Imagine, despite knowing better, Nigeria still has the same problems. Those same problems also being caused by the same old men. Na wa...

Where is idris Abdulkarim when you need him?

SleekMallam:
Where is idris Abdulkarim when you need him?

I'm only familiar with Jaga Jaga.

He who beefed with Obasanjo lol.

Nigerians will smile soon.

Bre:


I'm only familiar with Jaga Jaga.

He who beefed with Obasanjo lol.

I think current realities is charged enough for him to receive creative inspiration from the cosmic universe. Nigeria is currently beyond jaga jaja.

SleekMallam:

I think current realities is charged enough for him to receive creative inspiration from the cosmic universe. Nigeria is currently beyond jaga jaja.

Nigeria jaga jaga, everything scatter scatter; when we have beasts of no nation ruling

Bre:


Nigeria jaga jaga, everything scatter scatter; when we have beasts of no nation ruling

Poor man dey suffer suffer gbosa gbosa gun shots in the air. Idris needs to rattle Mr Buhari joor!

SleekMallam:

Poor man dey suffer suffer gbosa gbosa gun shots in the air. Idris needs to rattle Mr Buhari joor!

Did you see what Fela said?

My people are useless, my people are senseless, my people are indiscipline
Na Nigerian government, ee-oh
Dem dey talk be dat
My people are useless, my people are senseless, my people are indiscipline
I never hear dat before oh
Make government talk, ee-oh

Was Buhari not just travelling the world the other day de-marketing Nigeria with his bad mouth? At least Idris is still alive. He can add another presidential beef to his repertoire!

NO BE THERE BUHARI DEY O?
mehn bubu na big fuckup since forever
give bubu 20 years to rule the zoo, he would still be confused

TheBiafran:
NO BE THERE BUNARI DEY O?
mehn bubu na big fuckup since forever
give bubu 20 years to rule the zoo, he would still be confused

The great Fela called out Buhari 30 years ago for the same nonsense he is still doing today! In a whole new century! Yet "we" still used open eye to vote him in again. How can anyone call themselves a fan of Fela and vote Buhari? Crase full every where for Naijiria

@Bre,it seems we are on a merry- go-round here, the same issues Fela sang about are the same struggles we are dealing with today and may be our children will go through it too.

peacengine:
@Bre,it seems we are on a merry- go-round here, the same issues Fela sang about are the same struggles we are dealing with today and may be our children will go through it too.

When pastors tell those prayer warriors to pray against every chain, every ancestral curse, they need to say a few "FIREEEE, FIREEEE" submissions for Nigeria because it's not funny again. It was never funny. It's even more serious when the current generation voted for the same suffering and smiling of our parents.

Flexherbal:
Nigerians will smile soon.

Amen.

Bre:


Did you see what Fela said?



Was Buhari not just travelling the world the other day de-marketing Nigeria with his bad mouth? At least Idris is still alive. He can add another presidential beef to his repertoire!

From the first coming of Buhari till now no changes. He keeps repeating same things and expecting a different result. only a man that fails to update himself does such.

SleekMallam:

From the first coming of Buhari till now no changes. He keeps repeating same things and expecting a different result. only a man that fails to update himself does such.

I read this comment made by a youtuber in the comment section to Fela's "Coffin for Head of State":

What Fela was describing is still the unfortunate situation we have in Nigeria and most of the African countries. We understand religions upside down. Religion is one of our biggest problems. We are so godly without conscience. Government is still budgeting huge amount of money to sponsor people to Mecca and Jerusalem while women die during delivery and children die of hunger. But only we Africans understand these things. Its blasphemous but (un)fortunately the real truth. Our politicians and leaders steal all our money and they are afraid of going to hell they send relatives to Mecca and Jerusalem and pray. Fela was right. And what he was describing has hardly changed. We just recently managed to vote out a government in Nigeria which was ran by jet-flying pastors.

I am pained. Anyone who calls themselves a fan of Fela or even dares to play/dance to his music whilst having voted APC, may God visit them with redeeming deliverance. I wanted to say something stronger but then had to calm my anger and remember the God in me.

What those zombie supporters don't understand is that it's only a TRUE patriot that will see what is happening to/in their motherland and be consumed by rage. Zombies and other political sycophants are never patriots. You cannot put caustic and deadly political affiliations before the interest of your so-called country if you truly love her.

Bre:


I read this comment made by a youtuber in the comment section to Fela's "Coffin for Head of State":



I am pained. Anyone who calls themselves a fan of Fela or even dares to play/dance to his music whilst having voted APC, may God visit them with redeeming deliverance. I wanted to say something stronger but then had to calm my anger and remember the God in me.

What those zombie supporters don't understand is that it's only a TRUE patriot that will see what is happening to/in their motherland and be consumed by rage. Zombies and other political sycophants are never patriots. You cannot put caustic and deadly political affiliations before the interest of your so-called country if you truly love her.

To even imagine that after all these years, Nigeria is yet to get the very basics necessary for human existence right is enough to send one into depression when you compare her with fellow African neighbors. I've concluded with Hegel that God has abandoned Nigeria to her fate. personally, I've given up on Naija and planned my generations away from her but when I look back and see the pains others go through in Nigeria, it grieves my heart.

Yes, you can criticize an 8 month old government if you were dead during the past 16 years the PDP government raped and destroyed Nigeria looting several trillions of dollars! Even Fela would have no song to describe the PDP and ineffectual baboonfoon called Jonathan who singlehandedly looted $20 B dollar in one move and claimed that America will know if he stole that much money from Nigeria's coffers since it is America's money? Can you see the sense of a Ph. D? Even Fela cannot sing animal sense for that kind of problem or people! For the first time, he will run out of words or music to describe the same PDP and Jonazero of a president!

Buhari is spending all his life and energy trying to fix the problems that PDP created, Jona alone ran Nigeria into > $ 30 B debt when oil was trading well over $120 per barrel and depleted the foreign reserves and excess crude accounts to record lows after Obasanjo paid of the Paris club debt, left virtually no debt. Yet Jonathan, the god of these little kids or adults-like kids blew $60 B down to < $30 B! What kind of song will Fela sing for Jona?

PDP lost. Jona lost. Now the bitter seccesionists can cry until they are blue in the face, but they cheered on while billions of dollars grew wings and disappeared in 16 years!

rhymaster:
Yes, you can criticize an 8 month old government if you were dead during the past 16 years the PDP government raped and destroyed Nigeria looting several trillions of dollars! Even Fela would have no song to describe the PDP and ineffectual baboonfoon called Jonathan who singlehandedly looted $20 B dollar in one move and claimed that America will know if he stole that much money from Nigeria's coffers since it is America's money? Can you see the sense of a Ph. D? Even Fela cannot sing animal sense for that kind of problem or people! For the first time, he will run out of words or music to describe the same PDP and Jonazero of a president!

Buhari is spending all his life and energy trying to fix the problems that PDP created, Jona alone ran Nigeria into > $ 30 B debt when oil was trading well over $120 per barrel and depleted the foreign reserves and excess crude accounts to record lows after Obasanjo paid of the Paris club debt, left virtually no debt. Yet Jonathan, the god of these little kids or adults-like kids blew $60 B down to < $30 B! What kind of song will Fela sing for Jona?

PDP lost. Jona lost. Now the bitter seccesionists can cry until they are blue in the face, but they cheered on while billions of dollars grew wings and disappeared in 16 years!

u too dey vex na, Shebi na play play na. Upload ur mood let's see.

Now that's classic from fela himself.he was vigorous against this same animal in d 80s but some zombies voted him back and even called him saint due to their hatred for Jonathan. In other news I bought fuel 160 yesterday ,dnt have light since one week.

rhymaster:
Yes, you can criticize an 8 month old government if you were dead during the past 16 years the PDP government raped and destroyed Nigeria looting several trillions of dollars! Even Fela would have no song to describe the PDP and ineffectual baboonfoon called Jonathan who singlehandedly looted $20 B dollar in one move and claimed that America will know if he stole that much money from Nigeria's coffers since it is America's money? Can you see the sense of a Ph. D? Even Fela cannot sing animal sense for that kind of problem or people! For the first time, he will run out of words or music to describe the same PDP and Jonazero of a president!

Buhari is spending all his life and energy trying to fix the problems that PDP created, Jona alone ran Nigeria into > $ 30 B debt when oil was trading well over $120 per barrel and depleted the foreign reserves and excess crude accounts to record lows after Obasanjo paid of the Paris club debt, left virtually no debt. Yet Jonathan, the god of these little kids or adults-like kids blew $60 B down to < $30 B! What kind of song will Fela sing for Jona?

PDP lost. Jona lost. Now the bitter seccesionists can cry until they are blue in the face, but they cheered on while billions of dollars grew wings and disappeared in 16 years!

Please do not bring that nonsense you wrote in your last sentence into my thread.

If you want to talk, talk. If you want to take this conversation into a tribal route, I will not engage you. I do not play that game, especially when the conversation is on my terms.

ckmayoca:



u too dey vex na, Shebi na play play na. Upload ur mood let's see.

Don't mind the guy. Every one is expressing themselves. There's always gonna be that one guy that wants to kill the vibe.

Upload your own mood too, what's speaking your mind musically? Or has Fela said it all?

iokpebholo:
Now that's classic from fela himself.he was vigorous against this same animal in d 80s but some zombies voted him back and even called him saint due to their hatred for Jonathan. In other news I bought fuel 160 yesterday ,dnt have light since one week.

Suffering and smiling. I can't even imagine the inconvenience. Inconvenience is even an understatement.

I wonder, did people start calling the zombies "zombies" after Fela's song or just based off of the similarities of their reasoning to an actual zombie? Who even started that phrase?

Bre:


Suffering and smiling. I can't even imagine the inconvenience. Inconvenience is even an understatement.

I wonder, did people start calling the zombies "zombies" after Fela's song or just based off of the similarities of their reasoning to an actual zombie? Who even started that phrase?

true talk bro

I don't think there is any other musician as bold as Fela again.

idrisalomagold:
I don't think there is any other musician as bold as Fela again.

To be frank, I don't think many of our current musicians care about much beyond popping bottles. The pure artistry that Fela had...

But who cares about making music for the ages any more? I cannot see myself playing "shakiti bobo" in 30 years time. The current crop of musicians are so short-sighted and don't care about legacy.

From this song it is obvious that it has been long Nigeria became a Zoo Republic. According to Fela animals has been ruling Nigeria

I wish he is still alive and see what is going on.