Fela's compound is attacked

18 February 1977: Number 35 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of world and folk musicFela Kuti – the Nigerian musician and activist – had riled the Nigerian government too much by 1977. On 18 February, 1,000 armed soldiers stormed his communal compound, which he had christened the Kalakuta Republic. His mother was thrown from a window and subsequently died from her injuries and the compound was burned to the ground. Fela's response? More songs attacking the regime, including ...

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