La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort , hosts Felabration with London Afrobeat Collectives
October 21, 2015 , By Wale Ojo Lanre
Nigerian Tribune
The Coconut trees which sprout happily on the sandy beach of Atlantic Ocean in, Ikegun Village, Ibeju Lekki, Area, Lagos State were, on Saturday, 17 October, 2015, rustled by the vibes and beats bellowing from the hi-tech musical instrument compacted by ZMirage to blow the vibes from the corps of artistes arranged to commemorate the death of Afro beat ‘gospeller’ Fela Anikulapo Kuti at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort.
The President, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye, a pan – African who believed that Africans should use her enormous cultural – tourism potentialities to retrieve and reinstate whatever the years of colonialism must have taken away invited eminent and distinguished Nigerians, diplomats, tourism buffs to the resort to celebrate the golden human of Afrobeat late Fela Anikulapo, packaged as “FELABRATION TOURISM ‘Ambassador Akinboboye ensured that the set up for the programme showcased indigenous inputs and materials. The stage hosted several carvings, effigies, masks and other materials which sell the cultural heritage of Africa.
He pointed out that late Fela Anikulapo was one of the most foremost cultural – tourism ambassadors “who unfortunately we could not celebrate while alive, but who suffered persecution. Thus we spare nothing today in packaging a befitting remembrance and commemorations.
True to his words, the Felabration Tourism Night will stay a long while in the memories of those who partook of the night.
The stage was carved out from the epicentre of a building planted inside a colony of Coconut trees which shot out in a rectangular form on which were foisted the musical instruments for churning wonderful performance.
The flood gate of the night of fun was opened by Olo Omoge Onibata, from the Atunda Musical Group who thrashed the bata as if there was a deep seated hatred between her and the drum which the night provided an avenue of revenge.
“I cannot believe this. I have never seen a lady beating the bata in this form. Not only did she beat the bata skilfully and masterly, she danced, sang and controlled the stage perfectly well with non-verbal gestures which ensured seamless synchronisation of vocal, instrument and stagecraft. This is sheer talents on parade,” said Thompson Sean, a Briton who was a guest.
The night was spiced by two comedian and stand up artistes, MC Kirikiri who ensured spewed out rib-cracking jokes, which was fuelled by Koko, a Port Harcourt-based Comedian who had to leave his Garden City to spice the night in Lagos for Felabration Tourism.
As Olo Omoge Onibata was wildly applauded out of the stage for a scintillating and exciting tall performance, the guests were dazzled by the sonorous voice of a tall, beautiful Anu, the only girl who beat the Ikwue musical instrument as if she was there when the instrument was designated for festival.
The artistes from the stable of Atunda Entertainment Group raised the bar of the night mood so high by their spectacular performance and stagecraft wizardry which was however lifted up by the visiting London Afrobeat Collectives.
The London Afrobeat Collectives is the world renowned Afrobeat dispenser based in the UK which is made up of eight whites and a black lady, Funke Akindele from Ibadan, Oyo State, who is the lead singer.
This group rendered effectively some of late Fela’s songs with passion and dexterity which lured some of the guests jumping up doing the songs Fela’s way.
As the music was hitting the waves and the cool breeze from the Atlantic Ocean was tending the nerves of the guests, the bonfire put in place moderated the environment which engendered the total consummation of fun on a grand style.
By the time it was getting hotter, the cloud was brightened with sporadic, colourful and fascinating fireworks which spread unto the sky like a canopy of many colours spread on bare ground, a memory which all went with to sleep.
As if the night event was not enough, Ambassador Akinboboye on the morning of Sunday 18, October woke up the guests on a tour of the African resort and offered a superlative breakfast beside the swimming pool facing the beach.
Ambassador Akinboboye beat the imagination of the guests who were, having sumptuous meals when their breakfast was neatly interlude by a cultural group whose songs and music lured the men and women on the tables to their side.
The Ondo State Cultural Group treated the visitors and guests to a wonderful and soul lifting indigenous music and songs which the foreigners could not ignore as they took over the dancing floor.
Zabaka Thompson, one of the foreign visitors declared “This has been one of my best of time on earth. I am happy to be here. I am happy to be at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. I am happy I witnessed the colourful FELABRATION Tourism which was packaged by Ambassador Akinboboye and most intriguing is the spectacular breakfast spiced with the group from Ondo State. I am happy to be in Nigeria, I am happy.”
