Fela AA (Army Arrangement) Revisited

1985 till Date, Haba!

Fela was a household name especially amongst the down trodden of the Nigeria society from the 70s till his death , he was bold and quick to take the war of government mis-managements of public funds to their doorsteps.

He was consistent with this bravado till his death on August 2, 1997.

The review below of one of his very popular and critical of the Nigeria government high handedness in handling corruption related issues were highlighted in this heavily percussion dominated  musical lyrics.

I dedicate this interpretations of my assumptions of one of his greatest musical works to passable expressive English, from some of his pidgin lyrics that is spoken and understood by Nigeria populace, for a global understanding of the story behind Army Arrangement that was originally released in 1985, to an Enigma of our time.

Interpretation of major Army Arrangement Lyrics :

[Chorus]
One day go be one day!

The day of reckoning shall come
Those wey dey steal the money for government!

for the looters of Nigeria treasury

Whether you like or you no like

If you like it or not,
After you hear this true talk

after you have listened to the facts of this honest discuss
Whether you like or you no like

If you like it or not,
After you hear this true talk

after you have listened to the facts of this honest discuss 

[Chorus]
Ge ge!

If you like e good

If you agree with me, fine
If you no like you hang

and if you do not, you have the liberty to hang yourself,

If you hang you go die

and if you chose to hang yourself, you will die,
You go die for nothing

a wasteful death for that matter.
We go carry your body go police station

Your dead body would be deposited at the Police Station
You die wrongfully

Because you have died wrongfully

Man dey suffer him fit talk na condition too

The state of mind of a suffering man to voice out his feelings is a condition,
Man dey suffer him no fit talk na condition

and the state of mind of a suffering man that cannot voice out his feelings is a condition also,

Suffer dey Africa, pa pa ra pa

Suffering in Africa is obvious
Ah suffer dey, pa pa ra pa

Ah the Suffering is very obvious
Condition dey e, pa pa ram pa

The rebounding effect of Suffering Conditions are obvious.
Me I no say you be African man

I am aware you are an African Man 
And we dey suffer, pa pa ram pa

and you know that suffering is obvious in Africa
Which condition you dey I don't know

Your present condition, i don't know
The condition me I dey me I know

But my present condition i know
My condition don reach make I act

and since i can't bear mine anymore, i need to act,

If your condition today make you shake

If you can't bear it anymore 
And you still dey not talk the way you feel

and you are too scared to talk 
Make you open your two ears very well

then do your self a favor by listening to me attentively
To hear the truth talk me I dey talk

To my honest discuss about the sufferings in Africa,

Listen make you dey gree for me

and you would agree with me.
Every day and night you dey hear me talk

Every day and night that you have listened to me
One day you self you gree with me

you would agree with me someday
To dey act the way as you dey feel

and start acting the way you really feel about the sufferings.
Remember if you no act your own

Remember if you do not act the way you feel,
One day of course we must die

one day you would die with your sufferings.
Nigeria get the money

Nigeria is a rich and endowed country
Foreign money for oversea

with foreign deposit at the world bank.
Announcement start to happen

Suddenly, announcement was all over,
Newspaper carry them paper

the Newspapers and
Radio dey shout for studio

Radio Stations,
Obasanjo turn vocalist

Obasonjo as the government mouth piece
Yar'Adua road manager

Yar'adua the co-ordinator of the announcements,
Heavy government statement

Choreographed government statements
Seven billion naira missing

NGN 7.00 billion is declared missing
Missing from oversea

from our foreign account reserve.
Foreign currency scandal

Foreign exchange scandals
Them start to arrest everybody o

Suspects were arrested


E no finish, e no finish...

more stories and intrigues continued


Doctor, lawyer, hustlers

as above
Engineer, photographers

as above
Doctor, lawyer, hustlers

as above
Engineer, photographers

as above
All of them Kirikiri

and detained at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison and were  later sentenced
Ten to fifteen years in jail

to between 10 - 15 years jail terms.
After one year inside jail

But 1 year later,
Civilian government take over

After the democratic transition from Military to Civilian Government,
Them release all of dem

They were release by the Civilian Government claiming,
Them say dem be innocent o

they were all innocent of stealing NGN 7.0 billion of Nigerians Monies.


E no finish, e no finish...

more stories and intrigues continued
 

Two-point-eight-billion naira

Another case of NGN 2.8 billion 
Oil money is missing

proceeds from oil sales disappeared into thin air,
Them set up inquiry

the government quickly set up the normal inquiry charade
Them say money no lost o

and the outcome was, the money was not missing. (But the where about was not mentioned).
Them dabaru everybody

Nigerians were confused,
Supervisor Obasanjo

And again Obasanjo was called upon and adviced
Them say make him no talk o

not to comment on the missing money, because he was aware of what happened to the missing money
"Money no lost," them shout again

There is no missing money they declared,
Inquiry come close o

there was no need for an inquiry.
E no finish, e no finish...

more stories and intrigues continued 

Election story nko

The election organized by the Obasanjo regime too was another story,


Obasanjo plan am very well

Obasanjo masterminded the elections
Him take old politicians

He ensured that all the old politicians
Wey rule Nigeria before

that ruled Nigeria before the Military intervention
The same old politicians

these same old politicians
Wey spoil Nigeria before

that looted Nigeria treasury,
Obasanjo carry all of them

Obasanjo approved their re-election into the democratic government,
All of them dey there now

and they are still there till date. (This was as late as 1985 and till date some of them are still in government)


E no finish, e no finish...

more stories and intrigues continued


The young Africans them get two ears for head

I am sure that the young africans have ears to listen to my honest discuss?
Them get two eyes too

And they are also witnesses to the happenings?
Them dey see the thing wey dey happen

And they are privy to the going ons.
Them dey hear am too

And they have heard several stories of the looting too.
Few people dey fat with big money

Few Africans are living fat on Countries loots,
And the rest dey hungry

and the rest of the African people are living in abject poverty.
Me Fela, I challenge Obasanjo

I, Fela i challenge Obasanjo that,
Na wayo him dey all the time

he is not a sincere person,
Make him carry me go any court

i am ready to stand in the dock and witness against him,
I go open book for am

with obvious evidences that, 
Na wayo government we dey o

his government was an insincere government.
Na rigimo government we dey o

that his government is an ardent rigging government and,
Na paddy paddy government we dey

a compromising government to his friends in government.

One day go be one day!

But i believe that the day of reckoning shall come
Those wey dey steal the money for government!

for the looters of Nigeria treasury

[Chorus]
One day, one day!

Someday, someday!

Do have a great week ahead.