with Dede Mabiaku’s Afrobeat act

By Osa Amadi, Arts Editor

Dede Mabiaku’ on stage

By 5.00 p.m., Sunday 29, 2019, the stage was already set inside Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, surrounded by plush trees and flowers. Dede Mabiaku’s Afrobeat band was playing the kind of music Fela invented. Some of the guests were already seated, enjoying drinks, small chops and pepper soup, ordered from the numerous caterers lining along one side the park.

After the Afrobeat band went on short break, the DJ took over and began to churn out recorded songs. They were all old school songs, just as Mazi Abe, the convener, had promised at the press conference which announced the show.

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Then, one after the other, the comedians came:  Expatriate, Odogwu 1, Benji the Joke, and others.

The songs, both from the live band and the DJ, evoked memories of the 1980s and 90s and were enjoyed by the guests who fall within the age bracket of those that grew up with those old school songs. They, especially the ladies, took the dance floor, digging it in a mixture of the old and new dance steps. It was obvious that Nigerians, especially Lagosians, crave for opportunities and spaces to get together, unwind, dance, eat, drink, hear jokes and laugh. They found that space and forum at the Mazi & Friends show, the third edition in Lagos since it left London to Nigeria, says Mazi Abe.

One of the high points of the show was the coming to stage of Dede Mabiaku and his Afrobeat band. Dede, who told the audience that Fela was killed by ‘the system’ recalled what Fela told him and his other disciples: that some substance was injected into him at the NDLEA when he was arrested and detained for smoking marijuana.

Answering questions from the media towards the tail end of the show, on whether the show met his expectations, Mazi Abe said, “in terms of the content, the show met my expectations, but in terms of attendance, because it is a growing band, I did not have as much as I expected. But having said that, as the night grew on, people got more interested. I was not able to deliver as much as I had wanted due to some programming. But so far so good. You can see that people are beginning to relax and enjoy the evening. And that makes me happy.

“This is the 8th edition of Mazi & Friends and the 3rd one in Nigeria. Last year, it was held at the Freedom Park, and this one is happening here now. The remaining 5 editions were staged in London.”

When are we expecting the next edition? Mazi Abe said: “We are beginning to pray and hope that corporate organisations will come in for sponsorship. What you are seeing here tonight cost several millions of naira, all from my private pocket. As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we are hoping that with the brand of comedy and variety show we are bringing, maybe we will get some corporate help in order to make the show bigger. With such help we can do two editions in 2020; one in Lagos and one in Abuja. A laugh a day, keeps the doctor away. Mazi has come to stay in Lagos Nigeria.”