#funmilayo ransome-kuti

[womenshistory]

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (October 25, 1900 – April 13, 1978)

Educator, political campaigner, women's rights activist, and the first woman to drive a car in Nigeria.

Ransome-Kuti established multiple women's rights unions, including the Abeokuta Women's Union, Nigerian Women's Union, and Federation of Nigerian Women's Societies. From 1963 until her passing, she served as president of the Nigerian branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. She demanded better representation of women in local governing bodies and an end to unfair taxes on market women, and additionally arranged literacy classes for low-income women.

[metissagesanguemisto]

FRK: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, la leonessa di Lisabi.

FRK: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, la leonessa di Lisabi.

[randomrichards]

FUNMILAYO RANSOME-KUTI:

Fight for women’s rights

Lioness if Lisabi

Brings king to his knees

[carmenvicinanza]

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, politica e attivista nigeriana, ha speso la sua intera vita a sostenere i diritti delle donne e delle persone oppresse, giocando un importante ruolo internazionale nel movimento anti coloniale.

Descritta come la madre dei diritti civili delle donne in Nigeria, nel 1947 il West African Pilot, l’aveva definita la Leonessa di Lisabi per aver guidato le donne del popolo Egba durante le proteste che portarono all’abdicazione del re Oba Ademola II.

Nata come Francis Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas, a Abeokuta, il 25 ottobre 1900, da genitori cristiani di etnia yoruba, ha avuto il primato di essere la prima studentessa della Abeokuta Grammar School, che aveva frequentato dal 1914 e una delle primissime donne a ricevere un’istruzione superiore.

Durante gli studi in Inghilterra, dal 1919, il suo senso di nazionalismo la portò a decidere di abbandonare i suoi nomi inglesi e si fece chiamare soltanto Funmilayo, il suo nome tradizionale abbreviato.

Lavorava come insegnante quando, nel 1925, ha sposato Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, sacerdote e insegnante anglicano da cui ebbe tre figli e una figlia, tutti attivisti e impegnati politicamente, il più noto dei quali è stato  Fela Kuti, il più grande artista nigeriano contemporaneo.

Nel 1932 ha contribuito a organizzare il primo gruppo civico femminile chiamato Abeokuta Ladies Club, inizialmente costituito da donne cristiane per lo più istruite in Occidente che, col tempo, divenne sempre più politico e femminista aprendosi a povere, analfabete e sfruttate dalle autorità coloniali. Quando, nel 1946, l’ente è diventato Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU)  Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti ne divenne presidente rendendolo un’organizzazione nazionale poi ribattezzata Nigerian Women’s Union (NWU) nel 1949 e Federation of Nigerian Women’s Societies (FNWS) nel 1953.

Tante sono state le battaglie che ha condotto, come quella contro il controllo dei prezzi, che limitava drasticamente i redditi delle donne che vendevano al mercato, e per garantire un trattamento equo da parte del governo. Ha capeggiato importanti proteste contro una tassa speciale sulle donne imposta dal sovrano locale, Sir Ladapo Ademola II e contro il governo di Ademola, che portarono alla sua temporanea abdicazione, nel 1949.

Gli obiettivi perseguiti includevano maggiori opportunità educative per donne e ragazze, l’applicazione di norme sanitarie e la fornitura di assistenza sanitaria, oltre a diverse attività sociali. 

Nel 1947 è stata l’unica donna nella delegazione del Consiglio Nazionale della Nigeria e del Camerun, presente a Londra per negoziare l’indipendenza.

Con l’intento di innalzare il tenore di vita delle donne e provare a eliminare le cause della povertà, ha prestato servizio per diversi mandati nel consiglio locale di Abeokuta, tra il 1949 e il 1960.

Quando, nel 1953, la FNWS si era affiliata alla Federazione Democratica Internazionale delle Donne, venne eletta vicepresidente e, nel suo ruolo, ha tenuto conferenze in diversi paesi sulla condizione delle donne nigeriane.

È stata anche la prima donna in Nigeria a guidare un’automobile e la prima a fondare un’organizzazione politica, il Partito popolare dei comunisti.

All’inizio degli anni ’70 ha cambiato il suo cognome in Anikulapo-Kuti per identificarsi ulteriormente con la cultura yoruba, seguendo l’esempio di suo figlio, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, popolare musicista e feroce critico dei governi militari della Nigeria degli anni ’60.

Nel 1977, venne picchiata e gettata fuori da una finestra del secondo piano, durante un assalto militare alla proprietà di famiglia che avevano trasformato in una comune chiamata Repubblica di Kalakuta. 

È morta per complicazioni dovute alle ferite riportate, il 13 aprile 1978.

La madre dei movimenti femministi africani è stata spodestata con la forza bruta dal suo ruolo, ma la sua voce e il suo esempio restano un faro per i diritti delle donne nigeriane e non solo.

Sulla sua vita e impegno sono stati scritti diversi libri e, recentemente, è uscito un film che porta il suo nome e che esplora il fondamentale ruolo che ha avuto nella storia.

[opinion247]

FELA, THE UNBEARABLE REIGNING PROPHET– BY EGUNGWU C. BENJAMIN

Due to this year's Felabration music festival themed 'Question Jam Answer,' which started on 9th and will be ending on Sunday, 15th October, 2023. I decided to pen down this commemorative piece for the musical icon.

In this piece we will discuss about how the musical festival started and the brain behind it, we will also have brief background of the music icon and information about his career and achievements.

In 1998 Felabration was conceptualized by the late Afrobeat music legend's daughter, Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti just to remember his father's legacy. How he used music as a tool to speak about bad governance , exposing the hidden skeletons in the cupboard of corrupt politicians and religious institution leaders.

The music festival is hosted once every year for seven days and people comes from different states in the country, some from different countries to celebrate the Music icon at Afrika Shrine, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Brief Background of the Music Icon

 Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti Popularly called 'Fela Anikulapo-Kuti' was born on 15th October, 1938, in Abeokuta, Ogun state, into an upper middle class family.

The Late, Chief. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was the mother of Fela. She a very popular feminist activist during the anti-colonial movement and first woman to drive a car in Nigeria back in 1951, while his father, Reverend, Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, was a school principal and first president of the Nigeria Union of Teacher.

Later Fela Kuti removed 'Ransome' from his name and changed it to 'Anikulapo' meaning "He who carries death in his pouch or hands".

This will bring us to one of his hit track, that I love so much titled 'Colo-mentality'. In the song he talked about how the British sold their culture and language to us. we took everything and abandoned ours which makes us original.

In the song he said;

" If you say you be colonial man. You don be slave man before. Them don release you now. But you never release yourself. in another stanza he said;

"Dem go proud of dem name. And put dem slave name for head. No be so?… "

This can be linked to his decision to change his English name ' Ransome' to a Yoruba name 'Anikulapo'.

Fela Kuti is a cousin to the Popular writer and laureate Wole Soyinka (a Nobel Prize for Literature winner).

Brief Music Journey

Base on my research , I found out that the Music Icon was actually sent to London to study medicine just like his brothers; are all medical doctors.

He got to UK enrolled at Trinity College London where he studied classical music and became exposed to different musical sounds by playing piano in jazz and rock bands.

However, in I960s he returned to Nigeria and formed a band ' Koola Lobitos' just as he played when he was in London and Afrobeat sound started from that group through experiment and practices.

That is why he is refered to as the King of Afrobeat which is Jazz, Funk, Ghanaian/Nigerian High-life and psychedelic rock infusion.

Most of the top Afrobeat stars in the world like; Burna-Boy who claimed that his style of music is Afro-fusion. This is inspired by Fela Kuti and he affirmed to it.

During his life time while doing Music in Nigeria, he used it as an instrument to talk c on themes like; freedom, injustice, corruption and any other social vices within the country.

Due to his doggedness and ability to withstand pressure from the Military government in power, they were looking for reasons to find him guilty and jail him.

He declared himself the head of his communal compound, which he named the independent 'Kalakuta Republic'. The place got many attention due to use of drugs, indulgence in sex, polygamy support ( he married 27 women ).

It was said that 1000 soildiers raided his house,' Kalakuta Republic' in Lagos. Thy destroyed his properties and beat up everyone in there.

During the raid Fela, 's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was thrown out from the window. She sustained serious injuries and died at the General Hospital in Lagos on April 13, 1978 and most National Dailies reported the incident with the headline; “Fela’s Mum is Dead" or " Fela's House Burnt ".

This didn't make him stop his musical career or compromise his stand. He dropped more hit tracks like; “Zombie,” “Beasts of No Nation,” “Upside Down" and “Monkey Banana,”.

In his hit track " Zombie" he said; "Zombie no go walk unless you tell am to walk", Which Ironically, he was referring to the military or soldiers who doesn't do things they wish to do but they act base on order or instructions from top ranking officers.

This still remind me my days in Enugu, while still a kid, any time my mother is singing this song, just know you are suppose to do something and you haven't done it. (Smiles African parents still the best).

I referred to him as a prophet in this piece because his music his ever green. Everything he said when he was alive is still happening and even getting worse.

His music stirs ones mind to reflect on life unlike the the artist today that centers their music on sex and flamboyancy. Fela also sang about sex and having good time.

I am not against this kind of music everyone has there style of music and decision to choose what to sing about but once in a while they should use music as a tool to stir-up consciousness.

I dance and sing to the new style of songs, the artists are putting Africa in global map, Everyone is trying to identify themselves as an African but they should also remember that music is an art and should be used to convey message to educate and inform. It shouldn't be for entertainment purpose only.

I do appreciate Singers like; Falz, Tekno, Idris Abdul Kareem, Daddy Showkey, Late Sound Sultan, et-al .

[fusilsapompe]

Mix Fela par DJ Calzone

Cela peut être affirmé sans risquer de lever le début de la moindre vague d‘indignation : Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti alias Fela Kuti est une légende absolue. Si cela paraît évident aujourd’hui, ça ne l’a pas toujours été de son vivant. Il a fallu du temps pour le voir se faire accepter hors des frontières de son pays natal, le Nigéria, où son empreinte indélébile est toujours prégnante en 2023. Il faudrait plusieurs tomes pour expliquer toute son importance, raconter son œuvre et ses collaborations avec de véritables extraterrestres comme l’exceptionnel Tony Allen, qu’il surnommait “l’homme qui joue comme cinq batteurs”. Derrière l’expression « d’artiste engagé » souvent utilisée pour décrire le saxophoniste, on découvre un autre héritage du natif de Lagos. Il a été un opposant farouche à l’ordre établi, et tout au long de sa carrière, une véritable épine dans le pied du régime nigérian, au point de finir en prison au milieu des années 1980 ou d’être victime de nombreux tabassages en règle de la police. Ce combat de plusieurs décennies coûtera la vie à sa mère, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, militante féministe et anticoloniale féroce, blessée par un millier de soldats lors d’un assaut d’une violence inouïe de son bastion surnommé « la République de Kalakuta ». Il développera alors une aversion sans limite contre cet état policier. Pour célébrer sa mémoire, Fusils A Pompe s’associe à DJ Calzone pour proposer un mix d’une heure, traversant en accéléré cette carrière aussi dense qu'insaisissable.

A écouter ici ->

Tracklist :

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 - Confusion

Sandra Sings With Fela & Africa 70 - Up Side Down

Fẹla Aníkúlápó Kuti & Africa 70 - V.I.P. (Vagabonds In Power)

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70  - I No Get Eye For Back

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 With Ginger Baker - Let's Start

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 - Lady

Mos Def - Fear Not of Man instrumental

Fela Anikulapo Kuti And Roy Ayers - 2,000 Blacks Got To Be Free

Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Afrika 70 - Ikoyi Blindness

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 - Shakara

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 - Igbe (Na Shit)

Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 - Beasts Of No Nation

Fela And Africa 70 - Mr Follow Follow

Sandra Sings With Fela & Africa 70 - Go Slow

Fẹla And Afrika 70 – Sorrow Tears And Blood

Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Afrika 70 - Gba Mi Leti Ki N'Dolowo (Slap Me, Make I Get Money)

Fẹla And Afrika 70 – Colonial Mentality

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 With Ginger Baker - Black Man's Cr

Fela Ransome Kuti & The Africa 70 - Gentleman

INI - Grown Man Sport

Fela Anikulapo Kuti And Roy Ayers - Africa- Centre Of The World

Fela Ransome-Kuti And The Africa 70 With Ginger Baker - (Egbe Mi O) Carry Me I Want To Die

[womenstruation]

If anyone is looking for film recommendations about the women who paved the way for us please watch Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti on prime.

I was lucky enough to see it in cinemas and it was so good. It was focused majorly on her work with setting up the Abeokuta Woman’s union and how colonialism as well as patriarchy played a role in the subjugation of the Egba women of southern Nigeria at the time.

[trascapades]

🎨🎶🎙#ArtIsAWeapon

🔥 Reposted from @djreborn I love the opportunity to be in public discourse with fellow artists about our process, practice and praxis. Come check out the conversation about the brilliant @wangechistudio work and her connection to music with yours truly @sanfordbiggers @toschoon @sharpwhitebackground @margotnorton and maureenmahon Today May 20th 3pm

From #Afrobeat to #Afrofuturism, explore the unique combination of African diasporic music and #WangechiMutu’s artistic practice with Mutu x Music – an afternoon of conversations with curators and musicians on Saturday, May 20 at 3 p.m. at @newmuseum.

“Wangechi Mutu: Intertwined” co-curators Vivian Crockett (@sharpwhitebackground) and Margot Norton (@margotnorton) will kick off the afternoon in conversation with Trevor Schoonmaker (@toschoon), Director of the Nasher Museum, to reflect on the twentieth anniversary of Mutu’s “Yo Mama,” a large-scale collage work celebrating the life and activism of Fela Kuti’s mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. Scholar and catalog contributor Maureen Mahon will also moderate a panel discussion on the political charge of African and diasporic music genres from 1970s Afrobeat to contemporary Hip Hop, featuring artist Sanford Biggers (@sanfordbiggers) and musician DJ Reborn (@djreborn).

Event information and ticketing:

[https://www.newmuseum.org/calendar/view/1913/mutu-x-music-afrobeat-hip-hop-funk-and-the-art-of-wangechi-mutu]

[midevibezng]

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (2024) – Nollywood Movie http://dlvr.it/T8jTmq

[premimtimes]

MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’ sets new standard for Nollywood biopics

http://dlvr.it/T7kVLP

[thenetng]

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti: A Tale Of Perseverance, Comradeship, And Love

http://dlvr.it/T7bKVL

[musical-theatre-encyclopedia]

Watch "Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti: With Julie Adenuga, Tolly T & Marv Abbey | Drunk History: Black Stories" on YouTube

[southafricavoice]

12th AFRIFF to feature biopic of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti- Organisers

http://dlvr.it/SySR4r