The plans for the 2015 edition of Global Entertainment Festival aka Felabration, has been revealed by the founder,Yeni Kuti.
The late Afrobeat icon and pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti‘s first daughter put together the idea to yearly honour the memory of her late father. Since its birth 6years ago, the event has turned to a festival of sorts, helping in significantly promoting Afrobeat beyond the continent.
Yeni has revealed that the 2015 event, themed ‘Just Like That‘, is set to hold between October 12 and 18, 2015. She revealed to Punch that there will be Fela Debates which is scheduled to take place on Monday at NECA House, situated in the Central Business District in Alausa, Ikeja, with the topic of the Symposium being ‘Human rights as my property’.
Expected to appear at the Symposium are former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu of the Nigeria Human Rights Commission, Human rights activist, Mrs. Ayo Obe.
Also, a mentor to the late Afrobeat legend, Sandra Izsadore, the African-American lady believed to be instrumental to redirecting Fela’s music style from American-styled Jazz to Afrobeat, is expected to speak at the event.
Speaking on why the festival coincides with her late father’s birthday, Yeni said, “He loved to celebrate his birthdays. They were sacred to him. In fact, before his death, he was already looking forward to celebrating his 60th birthday in a year’s time. But he never made it. He died at the age of 59″
She also said she misses him a lot, “He was a very loving and caring father. I miss him badly”.
The Afrika Shrine will liven up in the coming days as A-list performers like Third World Band, a popular reggae group from the United States, will hit the stage.
