{"id":41710,"date":"2019-05-27T16:53:10","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T15:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/felas-stories-coffin-for-head-of-state\/"},"modified":"2020-10-28T12:32:49","modified_gmt":"2020-10-28T10:32:49","slug":"felas-stories-coffin-for-head-of-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/felas-stories-coffin-for-head-of-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Fela\u2019s stories: Coffin for Head of State"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It all started that day when a younger brother \u2013 and a real gangster at that \u2013 burst into my \u201centrer-coucher\u201d<\/em> (literally \u201center-and-lay-on-the-bed\u201d, a house literally only big enough to place a bed). We\u2019re somewhere in an unpopular neighborhood of Abidjan. This man is dressed in such a way that would drive his fellow sophisticated \u201csapeurs\u201d<\/em> insane. I had lost sight of him for a long time, and I am literally taken aback by his new style. Like a true British lord, but not as orthodox. Protestant, in this case \u2013 of the evangelical church \u2013, as he would confirm later: \u201cOld father! Do you know that Jesus loves you?\u201d, to which I answered, \u201cHuh? In which occasion, little brother, huh? Who sent you?\u201d And he tells me, in all seriousness, that it was Jesus himself who asked him to come and tell me this good piece of news (I think to myself, \u201cThat’s it, the guy has definitely lost it\u201d). I’m tempted to kick him out right away. But I immediately remember that one must never annoy a madman. Especially a fool of God. (These days, it can cost you your life).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be on the safe side, I let the guy talk. He embarks on a long sermon, punctuated by hallelujahs. Minus the \u201camens\u201d, I am speechless and therefore my heart was not in it. In his speech, there is much talk of the Holy Spirit who would manifest himself, and consecrate him a Pastor. As he feels I am somewhat skeptical, he invites me to follow him. To tell you the truth, he is starting to get drunk. But I\u2019m curious to see how far his delirium goes. So I decide to follow him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once we are outside, he shows me his shiny limousine. He tells me about his temple, his flock composed mainly of the ritzy elite, wheeler-dealers and other political scheming figures of the area, not to mention the pack of morons who are ruining themselves for the sake of God. He praises his successful small business. In short, he is trying to bamboozle me.

The problem is that, for my part, I live hand to mouth. So what the hell would I be doing in his infernal paradise. He feels that I am dissociating myself. It is then that he takes out his best argument: flattery. He tells me he admires what I do. That with the storytelling talent God gave me, if I give myself to Jesus and especially if I follow him \u2013 given that he has an exclusive contract with God himself and that he is also the only way to the Lord \u2013, he guarantees I will get out of my misery. I could sell out every Sunday, if I take part in his show. Because \u201cJesus is the solution!\u201d While he continues to roll out his spiel, time freezes. Freeze-frame! The spirit of Fela possesses my body; I enter a trance. Suddenly, deep inside of my soul, I distinctly hear the warning of the maestro…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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