Nigerian singer Femi Kuti welcomes President Macron's visit to his club in Lagos

Nigerian musician Femi Kuti, who has spent his life denouncing Africa's ills in song, hailed the recent visit of President Emmanuel Macron to his concert hall in Lagos, seeing it as an important "Political" gesture.

The 56-year-old singer took over the baton of his father Fela Kuti, pioneer of the Afrobeat and virulent critic of the corruption and incompetence of the former Nigerian military regime. He also revived Shrine, the mythical nightclub opened by his father.

During his visit to Nigeria in early July, the French president attended an evening at Shrine, even falling jacket and tie in this high place of African creativity

The visit of Emmanuel Macron "is a very important political gesture – more political than social and cultural," said the singer.

"Already in my father's time Shrine had to fight against government attacks and slanders calling us criminals or drug addicts, so the coming (of President Macron) neutralizes the eternal criticisms, "Kuti added while receiving AFP in his dressing room before it happened. at the Quebec City Summer Festival

Femi Kuti says he is convinced that the French president was well aware of Shrine's difficult relations with the government, having spent time in Nigeria in 2002, during an internship at the Quebec embassy. France. [19659003] The singer, whose father had denounced colonialism in songs like "Colonial Mentality", said he was the target of criticism for hosting the French president, given the French colonial history.

But he argues that the head of state in power for a little over a year can not be held responsible for colonialism, adding: "If we recall the crimes that France committed in Africa, how can we bring (the French) to evoke them if we do not speak with them? "

Hope for the Future

Femi Kuti performed at the Quebec City Summer Festival supported by an orchestra of nine musicians and several dancers.

He released this year his first studio album for 5 years, "One people One world", in which he again attacks the despots and corruption in titles like "Dem Militarize Democracy" and "Corruption Na Stealing. "

But he is also optimistic about future in other songs, including the main title of the album, "Africa Will Be Great Again." (He rejects any suggestion that this title has anything to do with President Donald Trump's favorite slogan, claiming to have written the text long before the American billionaire came to power.)

"I think that album is much more optimistic than the previous ones, maybe because I became a father and I have to find solutions for my children, "he says.

" When they ask me questions, I have to find positive answers, otherwise why have children if their future must be dark? "

For him, it is not only Africans who must wake up politically. He criticized the attitude of Westerners towards the migrant crisis, accusing them of forgetting too quickly the impact of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

"It's so easy for people to be comfortably at home and not worry about the bombs that kill innocent people in these countries, as long as you have enough to eat and make love, and a good life, "he accuses.

Femi Kuti expressed hope for ambitious developments in Africa, hoping to one day take a high-speed train from Lagos to Johannesburg, South Africa.

"I try to show the beauty of Africa in my music, "he says, saying he believes Africans will excel if they have the opportunity. "I deeply believe that Africa can and must become a model for the world."

15/07/2018 08:13:21 –
Quebec (AFP) –
© 2018 AFP