FELA!, as the name suggests, is a musical telling the story of Nigerian star and Afrobeats pioneer Fela Kuti. It opened off-Broadway in 2008, moving up to a full Broadway production the next year, then opening in London in 2010 and going on tour in 2011. It won multiple Tony Awards and was nominated for a Grammy.

An audio adaptation of that production – under the title FELA! Ten-Twenty – made its debut on Clubhouse in May this year. Obviously part of that was designed to ride the Clubhouse hype, but this is thankfully a lot more than just porting an existing production onto the platform du jour.  

Funa Maduka, the show’s director and producer, told CNN that the title referred to the massacre at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State in October 2020 when members of the Nigerian Army opened fire on End SARS protesters who were gathering peacefully. At least 12 people were killed (although some suspect this number was higher). 

Maduka added that the production would place “the #EndSars movement in the context of Fela Kuti’s legacy”. 

There was also a heavy charity angle with proceeds from the broadcasts on 15th and 16th May going to the GEANCO Foundation. It was set up in 2005 to provide aid for young female victims of terrorism and gender inequality in Nigeria through the David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship for Girls.

While a lot of music-based activity on Clubhouse is centred around pushing an artist’s brand or heavily promoting a current project, this musical adaptation stands out for a variety of reasons. 

Music for the production was recorded in Lagos, making this a very localised and political undertaking. Plus the production is designed to continue the music and activism of Kuti (who passed away in 1997). And, finally, the money raised is going to a good cause. 

While not every Clubhouse project has to have such altruistic goals, it does not always have to be about aggressive marketing and ruthlessly hitting targets. Sometimes it is better to allow the generous action to trump the hard sell.