Fela: My tears would be a victory for the ruling class

The letters show the late Afrobeat artist writing to his brother Beko Ransome-Kuti as well as to the chief superintendent of the then Maiduguri prisons, P Goji. Fela thanks the latter for bringing his convicting judge to see him.

“I sincerely thank you for arranging (the) visit of 24/9/85 between Justice Okoro-Idogu and myself,” Fela writes. “As you would have noted that day, I appreciated the visit. In fact, it was more significant than any other visit I had since I was jailed. The reason being that it provided me an opportunity to learn through the chairman of the tribunal which convicted me that I committed no offence under the law of the land.”

Happy to be told by the judge that he was under pressure from the government, Fela is understandably elated. “I really felt on top of the world when he told me I was not an economic saboteur but a victim of circumstance. As I told Justice Okoro-Idogu, I no longer see myself as a convict but a detainee who would soon regain his well-deserved freedom.”

Unfortunately, his release from prison doesn’t happen quite as quickly as he’d hoped. And by 1986, he is still in jail. His letters to Beko Ransome-Kuti are written from 1984 to 1986. He complains about how a prisoner still has to make arrangements for his own feeding, he agonises about his band, and is unhappy about his illegal detainment. “I am tired of this punishment,” he writes. “What am I doing here? I am not guilty. The judge has begged me. They have to make a statement whether I finish my jail term – which is injustice – or they release me now.”

This, however, is one of the early letters written from Ikoyi Prisons, which shows Fela’s own notion about his image. “Honestly, Beko I had to restrain myself from joining you in weeping for our country at her dark hour. You know my tears would have been interpreted to mean a triumph for the ruling class. I am sure you would have wept more to read in their papers, stories like Fela weeps on way to jail.”

Fela and his brother were radical in certain ways, but Beko was seen as more level-headed than the musician. In another section of the Ikoyi letter, Fela subtly points to their differences. “I was very happy to learn this morning that Egba women took to the streets yesterday to protest against excessive levies being imposed on them. They even went to mama’s grave to pray to her to guide them in the struggle ahead. You may dismiss this as superstition but it means much to the women.”

Nonetheless, the letters show the siblings shared a bond. Said to be close to Fela despite their differences, Beko swore an affidavit in support of Fela’s release. And Fela signs off most of his letters with, “Your loving brother.”

The Ransome-Kuti family is yet to respond to the publication of the letters.

Felabration, the annual celebration of Fela's life and times, takes place from 9 to 15 October.