Nigerias root problem is known to be a social science dilemma because it is connected directly to defective human attitude. Attitude is the sum up of observed behavior as it sets itself into a persistent pattern over time. Now, the human mind is a classic mystery. Yet, behaviour reflects the mind accurately and is subject to keen and scientific study and observation. Consequently, the efforts of behavioural scientists to solve complex human problems need not be doomed to perpetual futility. In the main, all social science practitioners know that corrective social policy is the prime way out of social problems of whatever description. Still, an accurate definition of an identified problem is the technical take off point for effective implementation of any social solution BEARING the foregoing in mind, I visited Lemi Ghariokwu, the enterprising and world renowned visual artist. I asked Lemi to tell me, by his own thinking, what Nigerias root problem is so that we may subsequently face and tackle the malady to the ground. In the world of redemptive culture, art and entertainment, Ghariokwu is quite distinguished for having been the frontline and life-time artistic director to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the legendary King of Afro-beat. Ghariokwu, in this chat, canvasses the use of Afro-beat as, of course, an intoxicating, potent and inspirational form of popular music originated in Nigeria.Ghariokwu is so closely involved and intimately identifiable with Fela Anikulapo Kutis thinking system as well as Felas life time passion of getting to the root of Africas and Nigerias persistent and difficult to tackle penury that it is totally impossible to think of him except in the light of one who has already devoted considerable time, energy and mental attention to meditating, ruminating and visioning upon the way out of the woods for Africas and Nigerias teeming millions.Look, said he for starters, Africa and Nigeria As far as I am concerned, they are a nation and a continent unfortunately deep and lost in sleepless slumber.I was relieved because a problem identified is half solved. But I still pressed on, demanding that he explain his diagnosis further. He then told me that a sleeping slumber is by far preferable to the sleepless slumber presently troubling Nigeria and Africa. At least, time spent when sleeping is regained several times over by the refreshing effect that sleep gives. The sleepless slumber is quite different. It is unproductive because it comes with no renewal of strength to rejuvenate the mind, the spirit, the body and the soul of society and the individual. The consequence is constant fatigue and continuous wariness on a universal scale.Whether people are sleeping or awake, nothing creative, dynamic and meaningful is getting done to any degree significant enough to suggest that we are on top of our situation, or that we know what we are doing, he said. How then shall we solve our problems and move on with timeThere isnt sufficient deep thinking to get viable answers and arrive at concrete solutions ahead of time in the interest of the entire nation. It is time to venture beyond the shallow philosophy of fruitless analysis of the problem. We need thinkers who will blaze a trail to real answers.Nevertheless, Ghariokwu is hopeful that our sleepless slumber will end very soon. Although Fela Anikulapo Kuti died fourteen years ago, his message is alive and living. Lemi claims that the coming to town of FELA!, the Broadway musical based on the life, music and message of Fela Kuti is an encouraging development. The staging of Fela! In Lagos has potential to stir the entire nation out of its lethargy as a prelude to the establishment of a fresh and invigorating thinking system.I asked Ghariokwu to tell me what is so fantastic about the loudly trumpeted play that will be performed at the Eko Hotel in Victoria Island from April 20 - 25, 2011.Brilliant scripting is the principal factor behind the beauty and magnificence of the play, he submitted. When you experience this musical, you will feel the raw power of forceful and unapologetic branding at its best.According to him, as Nigerians we will be able to see the personality of the departed Fela as the hero he truly was. For the reason that the West has always been very good at branding their own heroes, by thorough research, they have taken our own man and portrayed him for us as he truly was.Due to the plays skillful portrayal of the main character, he said young Nigerians, especially will now be positively curious. They will start asking about who exactly Fela was, what are the things he did to stand him out so admirably and how he did those things. Moreover, afro-beat, the musical genre associated world wide with Nigeria will gain prominence in the general consciousness as against the overwhelming appeal of reggae and hip-hop that originated in Jamaica and the USA respectively.The play lasted 15 spell binding months on Broadway, attracting an impressive number of high profile attendees all of whom enthusiastically lauded the performance including American First Lady Michelle Obama, Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Former UN secretary General Kofi Annan, Former Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Beyoncé, Madonna, Harry Belafonte and a host of others. So, is it safe to assume that the producers and financiers went smiling to the bank after securing hefty monetary payoffs Ghariokwu says its not necessarily so.Producing the play for Broadway gulped a whooping 10 million US Dollars. Lemi spoke of how he was present at the Sarafina Restaurant in New York with Stephen Hendel, the plays major producer, during meetings with three of the shows Bankers. Hendel openly lamented the loss of Musical of the year at the 2010 Tony Awards to Memphis, another Broadway musical about a white American DJ who was the first Caucasian to play Black styled music during the segregation era.Winning Best Musical of the year would have guaranteed enormous box office earnings for FELA! Lemi Ghariokwu says he was moved to console and encourage Hendel with passionate prayers that the God of Africa will bless and compensate him and his colleagues immensely for the great gesture of love and comradeship demonstrated towards Africa by branding Fela realistically in flesh and blood theatre for the glory and redemption of our continent.It is equally true that the plays income spinning potentials are still quite large. After the close of its Broadway and London National Theatre runs, Lagos, Fela Anikulapo Kutis home ground is the first venue to which FELA! has moved. Rikki Stein, a consultant to the show has confirmed plans to tour many other notable parts of the world, starting in Amsterdam at the Holland Festival in May and going on to Sadlers Wells Theatre in London in the summer of this year. Rikki says the coming to Lagos of FELA! is intended to unite and connect Africans in spirit and unity, to celebrate Chief Priest Anikulapo Kutis memory and to stimulate a Nigerian cultural revival.As we drew near the close of our conversion Ghariokwu mentioned his early period experiences as a foundation member of the Young African Pioneers (YAP). YAP was Felas ideological grooming ground for young persons. I seized the opportunity to suggest to Lemi that Fela! In Lagos could function as a launching pad for resuscitating YAP but Lemi confessed that however genuine the intention behind it, many people will suspect personal self-interest as the motivating factor.Whether YAP or no YAP, one thing is certain: well meaning persons who have the means and love of nation should ensure that something more enduring and beneficial than just a week of fun and laughter happens to Nigeria as an aftermath of Fela! In Lagos. Attitudes should improve across board. The sleepless slumber must end summarily. A robust problem solving philosophy should now take firm root in Nigeria through the spread of native wisdom, native knowledge and native understanding. These are the components of the native intelligence by which Fela made such a spectacular impact.
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