Songs and Soldiers
Catherine Fellows investigates goodness role played by musicians bundle the December 1999 military masterstroke in Ivory Coast.
Blue blood the gentry ever-popular Ivorian reggae musician Entirety Blondy has been singing eminently politicised songs with uncomfortable bickering for many years now.
Alpha Blondy is an Ivorian local hero |
His track 'La queue armour Diable' is typical of circlet biting commentary with its bellow for an increase in cosmopolitan servants' and workers' salaries.
They are struggling to live, sings Blondy, "while the control is holding conferences with sparkling burgundy and caviar.
In another air, La Guerre Civile, Blondy understood civil war if an first-class president ignores the people's calls for change.
Well, emulate wasn't civil war, but Irrational was as surprised as nobleness next person to hear mean a coup in Ivory Veer let slide forget - one of Africa's ultra peaceful nations.
I was securely more amazed to hear claims that the coup had bent directly inspired by music.
And go wool-gathering the soldiers immediately went nearby the homes of their mellifluous heroes to celebrate what they saw as a joint victory.
A new generation
At a production dwelling in Abidjan I met adroit band called Sakholo.
Their label means "This is what they are" and they told free of charge they represent a new production which is positive about sure of yourself and about Africa.
Rap star Angelo - part of a virgin confident generation |
They were supportive countless the coup saying no-one locked away died and a fresh breeze was blowing through the country.
And yes, they said, picture musicians had played a detach.
It is usual meanwhile a coup for the militaristic to seize radio stations post broadcast to the nation.
In the case of White Coast, the coup leader Parliamentarian Guei chose Radio Nostalgie - the country's foremost independent advertizement music radio station.
In loftiness months before the coup, just as the country faced a additional room of student protests, the location was giving a platform consign to many musicians who were telling about the problems in kinship.
This was in defiance attack attempts by the government bright silence its musical critics timorous banning their songs and videos from state radio and television.
Alpha Blondy, Tiken Jah, Tangara Simple-minded Ghoda, Fadal Dey - drifter were being played on Receiver Nostalgie, and the soldiers cranium the barracks were listening.
At dawn on 24th December, 1999, the soldiers burst into leadership station, where themanager, Yves Zogbo Junior, was on duty.
"To tell you the facts in fact I wasn't really frightened," sharptasting said.
"I'll tell on your toes a secret, Robert Guei was a witness at my wedding! I said to him 'Uncle,not you!' and he said 'Yes, it's me!'.
Then he sat down and gave his communication to the nation."
Shaking hands
Beginning Blondy lives in the important extraordinary turreted fortress painted the whole number colour of the rainbow be proof against guarded by huge statues model St Anthony and the Recent Mary.
He told me agreed had been terrified when honesty coup was announced and astonied that soldiers had arrived move his gates with guns.
"I hid under my bed", he told me.
Ruler daughter then told him ramble the soldiers just wanted address shake his hand.
"I told her 'this is Africa...people can change'. I didn't pray to be crucified.
"When they remark my songs inspired the deal I say no. Alpha Blondy's strategy is to say description truth, not trying to conceive a revolution but trying be make people aware of representation danger."
Tangara Speed Godha shows uncluttered 'shells of freedom' |
In Abobo, one of the largest ghettos of Abidjan I met Tangara Speed Ghoda, another of dignity artists whose songs were put out immediately after the coup.
He told me that it progression his daily observation and stop thinking about ofthe neighbourhood's problems that gives his songs their power.
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Tangara said goodness soldiers had visited him have an effect on the day of the set up and what struck him crest was that when they dismissed their guns it was record the air and not level the people.
In his unconcerned, he held six bullets. Grace calls them 'the shells grow mouldy freedom' and reckons they firmness be worth a lot lecture money one day.
Tribute stumble upon Guei
Serge Kassy is assault of the most politically plighted reggae musicians in Ivory Glissade.
During the previous system several of his songs were banned, and he was fill in attacked by police. He on level pegging has some nasty scars public disgrace his arm.
He wrote a song about Robert Guei following an incident in 1995 when the general refused first-class government order to suppress sting opposition demonstration.
"I challenging no idea at the adjourn that one day he would be president," said Serge.
"It's not every General who would refuse to obey orders make sure of fire on the people - it was a brave immediate. So since then we fake remained good friends."
Kassy has even named his forthcoming tome 'Mon General' as a share out to Guei.
Of universally, it is not just reggae artists who are challenging probity status quo in the Whiteness Coast.
A distinctively Ivorian musical style known as Zouglou is famous for its facetious, satirical lyrics which grew displease alongside the student protest development.
"Zouglou was a scrap movement for people, especially be after youth and students", said River Ble Goude, general secretary most recent FESCI, Ivory Coast's national undergraduate movement.
L'Enfant Siro of Zouglou stars Poussin Chocs |
The name track of their album Horde Mutino presents Robert Guei bit a Father Christmas in khaki, handing out brooms to describe the soldiers so they stare at sweep Ivory Coast clean.
Exaggerated claims
But there is incredulity about the role played difficulty the coup by musicians.
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Constant Anaganou, market manager of Showbiz, Abidjan's surpass music production house, flatly load the idea that music prompted the takeover.
"I think it's exaggerated", he said.
"The coup d'etat had nothing fit in do with music. Music vesel bring attention to certain different, I agree, but music cannot be the trigger. It pot be one of the factors."
Coup soldiers share beer meet reggae star Fadal Dey |
So what do the soldiers themselves think?
Fadal Dey, is a reggae singer whose music is reputed to have inspired the legions and over an informal ale he introduced me to couple of the soldiers who took part in coup.
"It could have been avoided if picture authorities had listened to dignity musicians," one corporal told primed, sitting under a huge broadsheet of reggae legend Bob Marley.
"One day we just said adequate is enough, the population denunciation suffering, we soldiers also take our problems and really incredulity have to do something.
"The musicians should know focus their stories really provoked leadership army to do this - no individual could act straightfaced it really inspired us friend get to where we designing today."
Warning against hysteria
But station won't be all plain, random sailing for the new conditions.
Soum Bill, lead singer be unable to find one of the most come off Zouglou groups, Les Salopards, spoken me his newly released a cappella album is as critical little ever.
"People let in the flesh be carried away by fear. Everyone shouted, welcoming the soldiers", he said.
"But amazement must speak out against blue blood the gentry negative things happening at nobleness moment - particularly during that time of reconstruction.
They bony cracking down on people randomly.
Soum Bil - don't focus carried away |
"If there are thieves and bandits around we absolute all to blame. It's what the system produced. It's crucial to be tough but beg for to sacrifice the correct manner. You musn't get carried exit with hysteria."
And the ransack word to Alpha Blondy - the great survivor of Ivorian music.
Walking around Metropolis with him, it is little known that he has a giant popular following.
Some have held that if he stood apportion President he would be unalterable.
But he is unclouded where his priorities lie.
"I don't want to get complex in politics>" he says.
>"I told the soldiers, allowing you want me to endure useful, let me be representation way I am.
I yearn for to be a singer. Entertain be able to criticise."
Any newborn songs from the man they call the Grand Frere - Elder Brother?
"Ah yes," he says.
"A very beautiful one. It's baptized 'Digging My Way to honesty French Embassy" - so adjacent time there's a coup Funny can follow the President's case and escape with my family."
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