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Buhari vs Fela: How Buhari Administration illegally Jailed Fela in 1984

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In September 1984, Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti found himself in a familiar position: under arrest.

Sent to England to study medicine decades before, Kuti had instead invented Afrobeat, an infectious version of James Brown’s funk gone global. Radicalized in the United States by his contact with the Black Panthers, Kuti became more than a pop star, but a political force in Nigeria — a marijuana enthusiast, polygamist and sometime presidential candidate who became “the voice of Nigeria’s have-nots, a cultural rebel,” as AllMusic put it.

“In the last military regime I was the only one to speak out against the government and the army,” he said in 1978. “Anything could happen in Nigeria. If they get to the point that everyone trying to rule the place isn’t making any headway they might drop their guard and ask, ‘Fela, do you want to rule us today?’

”Continually running afoul of his country’s powers-that-be, Kuti was repeatedly detained. In 1977, government forces even raided his compound — which the singer had declared independent of Nigeria — with a 1,000-man force, resulting in the death of his mother. And the singer was on his way to the United States seven years later for a tour when he was arrested for what the Guardian called “sham currency smuggling charges.”

In 1984, Muhammadu Buhari’s government, of which Kuti was a vocal opponent, jailed him on a charge of currency smuggling

When it came to Fela Kuti, democratic principles didn’t seem get in Buhari’s way many years ago. Buhari’s government was behind Kuti’s arrest, and the singer was quickly sentenced to five years amid allegations reported by Amnesty International that witnesses were prevented from testifying on his behalf. There were even reports that the judge who sentenced Kuti later apologized to him.

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“He went and declared to Fela that, ‘Man, you were not guilty, I was under pressure, I was instructed to put you behind bars,’ ” Rilwan “Showboy” Fagbemi, Kuti’s former saxophonist, claimed in 2012. “‘And as a judge, if I don’t tell you the truth, I will never forgive myself. I came for your forgiveness, forgive me. You did not commit any offense. You were jailed because I had the order to put you behind bars from above.’”

Buhari’s chief of staff was unmoved. “I hope he will rot in jail,” he said.

But that was not Kuti’s destiny. After Buhari was unseated — by another coup — in 1985, the singer was released. He lived to take musical revenge on Buhari — name-checked in Kuti’s less-than-complimentary song “Beasts of No Nation,” reportedly the first song he wrote after he got out of prison.

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Lifestyle

LACK OF TRUST IN MARRIAGE

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A marriage can survive difficult times, financial struggles, and disagreements—but when trust disappears, the relationship begins to lose its foundation.

When a husband no longer trusts his wife, or a wife no longer trusts her husband, even innocent actions can become suspicious. A simple phone call becomes a question. Coming home late becomes an accusation. A private conversation becomes a source of fear and jealousy.

Lack of trust creates emotional distance.

It produces constant suspicion, arguments, insecurity, resentment, and sometimes secretive behaviour. Instead of feeling safe with each other, couples begin to feel like enemies living under the same roof.

Trust is not built by controlling your spouse, checking their phone every minute, or constantly demanding explanations. Trust is built through honesty, faithfulness, transparency, consistency, and keeping your word.

If trust has been broken, don’t pretend everything is fine. Talk about it. Admit mistakes. Forgive where possible. Set healthy boundaries. And be willing to rebuild what has been damaged.

Remember: love may bring two people together, but trust helps keep them together.

💔 Don’t allow suspicion to destroy what communication and honesty can repair.

BUILD TRUST. BE FAITHFUL. BE HONEST. PROTECT YOUR MARRIAGE.

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour.”
— Ephesians 4:25 (KJV)

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LACK OF OPENNESS IN MARRIAGE

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A marriage can look beautiful on the outside and still be struggling on the inside when there is no openness between husband and wife.

When couples stop communicating honestly, keep secrets, hide their feelings, or are afraid to discuss important issues, emotional distance begins to grow. What starts as “I don’t want to cause a problem” can eventually become mistrust, resentment, loneliness, and constant misunderstanding.

Openness does not mean telling your spouse everything in a hurtful or careless way. It means creating a safe relationship where both partners can honestly talk about their feelings, concerns, mistakes, finances, expectations, struggles, and dreams without fear of unnecessary humiliation or condemnation.

A strong marriage requires:

• Honest communication — Talk about problems instead of allowing them to grow in silence.
• Trust and transparency — Avoid unnecessary secrecy that can damage confidence in the relationship.
• Active listening — Listen to understand, not simply to respond or attack.
• Emotional vulnerability — Let your spouse know when you are hurting, worried, disappointed, or afraid.
• Respect — Honesty should never become an excuse for insults, threats, or emotional abuse.
• Forgiveness — When mistakes are acknowledged, work together toward healing and restoration.

The Bible says:

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” — Proverbs 11:14 (KJV)

And:

“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” — James 1:19 (KJV)

Marriage should be a place where two people can feel safe enough to communicate, honest enough to admit their weaknesses, and humble enough to work through their differences.

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Don’t allow silence, secrets, and suspicion to build walls between you and your spouse. Talk. Listen. Understand. Forgive. Grow together.

❤️ Openness builds trust. Trust strengthens intimacy. And healthy communication helps build a stronger marriage.

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THE EFFECT OF LAYING CURSES ON YOUR CHILDREN

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Be careful with the words you speak to your children.

A child should not grow up hearing, “You will never succeed,” “You are useless,” “Nothing good will come from you,” or “You will suffer in life.” Words spoken repeatedly by a parent can deeply affect a child’s emotions, confidence, and relationship with the family.

Even when spoken in anger, such words can become negative messages that a child may carry for many years.

SOME EFFECTS OF CONSTANTLY CURSING YOUR CHILDREN:

1. It can destroy their confidence.
Children need encouragement and guidance. Constant insults and negative declarations can make them believe they are not good enough.

2. It can create fear and insecurity.
A child who is constantly threatened or cursed may become afraid of making mistakes, expressing themselves, or trying new things.

3. It can damage the parent-child relationship.
Instead of seeing the parent as a source of love and protection, the child may grow resentful, distant, or bitter.

4. It can affect their emotional well-being.
Repeated humiliation, rejection, and negative words can contribute to sadness, anxiety, low self-worth, and emotional distress.

5. It can influence how they see themselves.
Children often believe what the people closest to them repeatedly tell them. Speak to the potential you want them to develop—not the failure you fear.

6. It can teach them to use hurtful words themselves.
Children learn from what they experience. If they grow up hearing curses and insults, they may eventually speak to others in the same way.

CORRECT YOUR CHILDREN, BUT DON’T DESTROY THEM.

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Discipline is necessary, but discipline should teach—not humiliate. Correct their mistakes, set boundaries, explain consequences, and show them how to do better.

The Bible says:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
— Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)

And:

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
— Ephesians 6:4 (KJV)

Your child may make mistakes today, but that does not mean their future is ruined.

Don’t curse your children. Correct them with wisdom. Pray for them. Encourage them. Bless them. Speak words that build their character, strengthen their confidence, and remind them that they are loved.

YOUR WORDS CAN LEAVE A SCAR OR BUILD A FUTURE.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS WISELY.

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