00:00Every day, every day, every day, every day, every day.
00:30Yeah, it's a frenzy and chilly atmosphere right here at Echo Park African Center at Ozumba Avenue here in Victoria Island, Lagos.
00:40Of course, the venue for this year, Afrobeat Rebellion, Fela and Nicola Pocoti.
00:46I must tell you, if you are not here, you are nowhere.
00:49This is the very first edition happening in Lagos right here.
00:52The previous edition had been done in Paris by, you know, by the curator Oshionwali.
00:57But this time around, you know, they've decided to bring this back home.
01:01There is a connection between the city and, of course, the legend himself, Fela and Nicola Pocoti.
01:06This is where it's happening today.
01:08And, of course, we are looking to speak to some of the stakeholders.
01:11Of course, the Coti families, Femi, Yeni, you know, Made and everyone here.
01:17Soon enough, we'll look to, you know, talk to some of them and, of course, see the plans, you know, forward for this particular festival.
01:23Of course, we are expecting the French embassy as well.
01:26But this has actually been backed by the French embassy as well.
01:29And we look to speak to some of the, you know, representative on how this, you know, festival and exhibition has been able to break the gap between both countries and culture.
01:40Nigerian culture, of course, the French.
01:42It's an amazing one, I must tell you.
01:44And, of course, Guardian TV, we are live here.
01:46And, yes, to give you every detail as it goes by.
01:49So, yeah, come along with us.
01:50What I love about this exhibition is myself, I discover something new every time I come.
02:11So, I think it's an exhibition that people will come back to many, many times because someone will be like, ah, you didn't see that thing.
02:17And then you'll go back and you'll see it because it's, as you can see, it's quite extensive.
02:21It's really, really delving into the history of his life.
02:25There's so many archival material that has never been seen before, you know, stuff from the 60s, some from the 70s, you know, printouts, books that have been kept by collectors for many, many years that have never been shown before.
02:40So, there are so many artifacts we look for.
02:43I think his impact is already there, you know, I think if you ask any Nigerian musician, you know, whether it's Bado or, you know, they'll be like, ah, Fela was the greatest.
02:55I don't think anyone can deny that.
02:57I think there's a generation that is now maybe younger that maybe don't understand the power of his music and his legacy.
03:05So, I think this is an opportunity for them.
03:07And one of the great programs we have over the next three months, it's called Young Rebels, and it's really a space for young kids.
03:15So, if you have children, you can bring them here.
03:18We also have working with a magazine called Little Republic, where we've created, like, Little Fela, which is really just a young kid's way of understanding him, the music, Nigeria.
03:29So, there's lots of opportunities to share his legacy with the next generation.
03:34If you've been following Felabration for the last 25 years, you will notice that we have an art where we get artists to make their own impression of the title of Felabration for that year.
03:49So, we have been following art, and I think it's befitting.
03:56No, I saw it when it was in Paris.
03:58I haven't seen this one, so I decided to wait till today so it will be a surprise.
04:02So, what you see, I don't know if you have seen it.
04:04I haven't seen it.
04:06I want it to be a surprise.
04:10I saw the one in Paris, which was fantastic.
04:12I loved it.
04:14So, I'm sure this one will be...
04:17Felabration's message was not just about rebellion.
04:19Felabration's message was about emancipation.
04:21So, I think that it's called rebellion is befitting, but it's emancipation also is for Africans to be free, Nigerians to be free.
04:33We should be free from the shackles of colonialism, of bad governance, and so on and so forth.
04:40I'm very proud that I was born from this family, to this family, and it's how I can only, the only way I can say it is to say I'm proud of my father.
04:57And it's a message to the younger ones to work hard, to cast their own, yeah, so that years after you die, you are celebrated.
05:10So, it's very important.
05:12I'm a big fan of Fela since I came first time in Nigeria in 2004.
05:16Because I used to go to the shrine, so, when you are a shrine addicted, you have to love Fela, and I really, now I really appreciate what he said through his songs, you know, because it's still the truth.
05:35Till now, it's still the truth.
05:37Everybody wants to live with freedom, to be happy, to get everything, to feel happy, so you can be from Africa, from France, we just wish to be happy.
05:51That's why what Fela say is what we want also in France.
05:58Next week, then I will go for, enjoy my life in Nigeria.
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