Did Robert Nesta Marley ever meet Fela Anikulapo Kuti? Ah well, I can only imagine it would have been quite a conversation.

Nesta, exiled from the mother continent by the injustices to ancestors and unrelenting in his dream for all the children of the “higher man” to unite and stand together in the fight against all that keeps them downtrodden.  Fela, living on the continent and sacrificing safety and freedom in order to expose the wickedness thrust on its people by their leaders.  The thoughts and dreams of these two men, expressed mainly through music, are about the struggle of the people to come out of mental slavery; a struggle which has proved to be more enduring than that against physical slavery.

So if Nesta had enquired from Fela, how many times must I preach “emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds”? (Redemption Song), Fela might have pitched in with the frustration of constantly reminding his brethren that “den don release you now but you never release yourself” (Colonial Mentality).  This basis to the conversation would have revealed two men desperate for changes to how the people are treated, and how they receive and even accept without question “…treading on the winepress…” (Babylon System).  In effect, a clear context for the rest of their interaction would be in place.  As each got to understand more the other’s thinking, there is accelerated mutual respect building: Fela sees Nesta will “never give up the fight” (Get Up, Stand Up) and Nesta understands Fela is an ally who will not give up as he hears him cry “whether you like or you nor like, after you hear this wan you go talk”.

Fela is proud. Proud of his people’s past and their civilisation – “long time ago, Africa man we nor dae carry shit” (I.T.T.); proud of himself as an African – “ah nor be gentleman at all … Ah be African man, original!” (Gentleman). He has no time for those who aspire to different realities, emphasising his point with ridicule for women who “if you call her woman, she go say I be lady oh” (Lady), and is brutally disdainful of those who see themselves as better than their own people pointing out that “dem go turn air condition and close dem country away” (Colonial Mentality).

Like Nesta, Fela has no doubt that the enemy lives amongst his people. “Some will eat and drink with you, then behind them su-su pon you” (RNM – “Who The Cap Fit”) refers to this betrayal as does Fela’s “dem judge him go cack in wig and jail him brother away” (Colonial Mentality).

As Nesta encouraged “get up, stand up… for your right” while seeking acknowledgement of the fact that “everyman has the right to decide his own destiny”, Fela laments the fear in his people – “my people sef den fear too much… den always get reason to fear, ah get one house… mama dae for house…” (Sorrow, Tears and Blood).  He wonders about how much more they will take as he laments “so policeman go slap your face you nor go talk; army man de whip your nyash you go de look like donkey; Rhodesia dae do den yone all ye just de yab for nothing; South Africa dae do den yone!”

There was the “conman coming with his con plan” (RNM – Crazy Baldhead) whose “…system is the vampire sucking the blood of the sufferers” (RNM – Babylon System), and he might just be related to the instigator of the shenanigans in “dem get one style way dem de use, dem go pick one African man, a man of low mentality… pay am million naira bread, to become of high position here. Him go bribe… to become one useless chief… na dat dem de do… then gradually…“.

The suggestions of both is clear; there are carefully construed plans behind all the problems.  It isn’t all happening by accident or due to simple misfortune.  There is a conspiracy and the conspirators live among the people.  “Who the cap fit, let them wear it” (RNM), but we know them as we see that they will “friend-friend to journalist… friend-friend to head of state… start-start dem corruption… start-start to steal money” (FAK – I.T.T.).

Yes, I wonder whether they did have an earthly meet, Nesta and Fela, the “Natural Mystic” and “The Black President”; one tagging himself as “Soul Rebel” and the other seeing himself as “African man, original!”