In an interview with gooo/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Jebose Molokwu, empress of Afrobeat music fortress, Sandra Isidore revealed how she met, fell in love with the late Fela Kuti. Read her story below:
“Los Angeles was the birthplace of Afro
beat music. Fela’s music changed here during that period… It became a
conscious music vehicle for awareness. We were part of the dawning of
the Age of Aquarius. It happened in LA and exploded all over the world. I
was the vehicle that was used for the awareness and the awakening of
Afrobeat music and message. What is happening today, we hoped, could
have happened then. Fela and I were forty years ahead of everybody else.
He was incredible. He had sense enough to listen…”
beat music. Fela’s music changed here during that period… It became a
conscious music vehicle for awareness. We were part of the dawning of
the Age of Aquarius. It happened in LA and exploded all over the world. I
was the vehicle that was used for the awareness and the awakening of
Afrobeat music and message. What is happening today, we hoped, could
have happened then. Fela and I were forty years ahead of everybody else.
He was incredible. He had sense enough to listen…”
Sandra fell deeply in love with Fela and
determined to turn this “African that came to America with colonial
mentality into a social engineer with saxophone, music, knowledge and
power to change the world.”
determined to turn this “African that came to America with colonial
mentality into a social engineer with saxophone, music, knowledge and
power to change the world.”
“Jebose, the first time Fela walked onto the stage
to perform, something in both of us stirred. He was looking down and I
was looking up to his eyes. That first eye contact, that moment, I felt I
was walking with a flash light in the day light. It was something at
first sight. We connected immediately. It felt like something the gods
had put together. I finally found the African man I had invented in my
wish-land. I had this crush on Hugh Masekela, but when Fela came that
night, it was like Hugh rolled out the red carpet for Fela to walk into
my life. I wanted to marry him!
to perform, something in both of us stirred. He was looking down and I
was looking up to his eyes. That first eye contact, that moment, I felt I
was walking with a flash light in the day light. It was something at
first sight. We connected immediately. It felt like something the gods
had put together. I finally found the African man I had invented in my
wish-land. I had this crush on Hugh Masekela, but when Fela came that
night, it was like Hugh rolled out the red carpet for Fela to walk into
my life. I wanted to marry him!
“Jebose, he was different from all the
African students that came to this country then. When I met Fela, I met
an urban African man that charmed me and made me fall in love with him.
Fela was my first love. He was the first man that made me feel real
love. I was ready then to marry him. He wanted to marry me. He asked me
to marry him.”
African students that came to this country then. When I met Fela, I met
an urban African man that charmed me and made me fall in love with him.
Fela was my first love. He was the first man that made me feel real
love. I was ready then to marry him. He wanted to marry me. He asked me
to marry him.”
“So why did you not marry him then?”
“I am not going to tell you why I did not marry him. Are you married?”
“Yes, I am married”
“Tell me about your marriage then.”
“It is about you, Sandra Isidore, the most influential woman in Fela
Anikulapo Kuti’s life, beside his mother. I just told you I am married,
so give me something back, why did you not marry Fela?”
Anikulapo Kuti’s life, beside his mother. I just told you I am married,
so give me something back, why did you not marry Fela?”
“I did not want to marry him.”
“Sandra, you said earlier that you wanted
to marry him when you first met him. So you broke his heart? A young
charming man asked you to marry him and you turned him down?”
to marry him when you first met him. So you broke his heart? A young
charming man asked you to marry him and you turned him down?”
“Jebose, I did not break his heart. He
broke his own heart in learning lessons of life… However, in 1982, Fela
proposed to me in the city of love, Paris. How romantic that was. But I
turned him down again… He had 28 wives, remember Remi, his first wife?
And he married 27 of his dancers. He also had numerous concubines. This
was in the 80s. So tell me which intelligent woman, in her right mind,
would want that deal of chaos? Jebose, who would want that? I am not
answering anymore of your questions. I didn’t marry Fela because I am a
very smart, blessed woman….I was protected by the universe from him, and
that’s why I did not marry him. I submit to spiritual guidance, that
was love and divine intervention… he was sent by divine intervention to
make a change for black people in this world.”
broke his own heart in learning lessons of life… However, in 1982, Fela
proposed to me in the city of love, Paris. How romantic that was. But I
turned him down again… He had 28 wives, remember Remi, his first wife?
And he married 27 of his dancers. He also had numerous concubines. This
was in the 80s. So tell me which intelligent woman, in her right mind,
would want that deal of chaos? Jebose, who would want that? I am not
answering anymore of your questions. I didn’t marry Fela because I am a
very smart, blessed woman….I was protected by the universe from him, and
that’s why I did not marry him. I submit to spiritual guidance, that
was love and divine intervention… he was sent by divine intervention to
make a change for black people in this world.”
“But you broke his heart. You rejected
true love. You could have been the 29th wife. What divine intervention
stopped you from marrying a man you said you loved so much?”
true love. You could have been the 29th wife. What divine intervention
stopped you from marrying a man you said you loved so much?”
“I didn’t want a deal of chaos. But I was happy when he married 27 wives…who would not be happy Fela married 27 wives?”
“So you were jealous he married 27 women?”
“I wasn’t jealous. I see jealousy as one
of the seven deadly things. However, it took a lot of growing to accept
moving on. He was a man that didn’t take no for an answer, but I moved
on. I am not answering your questions anymore on this. Read my book,
Fela and me, due next year. Let’s talk about something else. Let’s talk
about our dear Nigeria and the beautiful continent of Africa. I have
been taking grains of sand to the beach for years. It was the grain of
sands that I took to Fela, and Fela took that to create a pearl. Nigeria
has not had a leader. She’s had only rulers. It’s been same problems
since 1969. The problems are still there today because of greed; it’s
very painful. Every time I think about Nigeria’s sad circumstance, I
cry. I don’t know, maybe I am foolish, but I have hope for Nigeria. I
know Nigeria can set herself free, Nigeria can be the pulling together
of Africa. Nigerians are the most educated people in all areas of life.
Why isn’t Africa recycling the dollars in Africa? Western nations have
no respect for us. Why is it that Saudi Arabia can pay its citizens
residual from oil and Nigeria can’t provide basic functional necessities
of life to its citizens? The only thing I can come up with is greed.
There should not be any poverty in Nigeria.
of the seven deadly things. However, it took a lot of growing to accept
moving on. He was a man that didn’t take no for an answer, but I moved
on. I am not answering your questions anymore on this. Read my book,
Fela and me, due next year. Let’s talk about something else. Let’s talk
about our dear Nigeria and the beautiful continent of Africa. I have
been taking grains of sand to the beach for years. It was the grain of
sands that I took to Fela, and Fela took that to create a pearl. Nigeria
has not had a leader. She’s had only rulers. It’s been same problems
since 1969. The problems are still there today because of greed; it’s
very painful. Every time I think about Nigeria’s sad circumstance, I
cry. I don’t know, maybe I am foolish, but I have hope for Nigeria. I
know Nigeria can set herself free, Nigeria can be the pulling together
of Africa. Nigerians are the most educated people in all areas of life.
Why isn’t Africa recycling the dollars in Africa? Western nations have
no respect for us. Why is it that Saudi Arabia can pay its citizens
residual from oil and Nigeria can’t provide basic functional necessities
of life to its citizens? The only thing I can come up with is greed.
There should not be any poverty in Nigeria.
“Here in America, they don’t care about
blacks. Our brothers and sisters in Africa need to wake up so they may
wake us up in America. Western world needs Africa. Look at the natural
and human resources abundant in Africa. Africa is just giving it away
and getting very little in return. Africa is chasing an illusion and a
dream instead of creating its own wealth. Nigeria will wake up and it
would wake up Africans in the Diaspora. We take pride in what is ours.
We have to reach across and teach, socially and economically… we need to
tell our own stories.”
blacks. Our brothers and sisters in Africa need to wake up so they may
wake us up in America. Western world needs Africa. Look at the natural
and human resources abundant in Africa. Africa is just giving it away
and getting very little in return. Africa is chasing an illusion and a
dream instead of creating its own wealth. Nigeria will wake up and it
would wake up Africans in the Diaspora. We take pride in what is ours.
We have to reach across and teach, socially and economically… we need to
tell our own stories.”