The Progress of Nations 2000

pI EI O tESS F N TI N'

My song against AIDS
By Femi Anikulapo-Kuti

Nigerian star Fela Anikulapo-Kuti had the gift of music and a personal
courage that made him a larger-than-life figure. He had millions of fans
around the world and was a political activist who spoke up for the rights of
his people and never hesitated to criticize corrupt leaders. Many powerful
people in politics and the military wanted him silenced, but nothing, not
even jail and torture, could break his spirit or quiet his voice. What
silenced him where nothing else could was AIDS. Fela died from the
disease in 1997, at the age of 58.
The day after he died, his family decided to announce the cause of his
death to the world. The news shocked and affected the lives of many
millions. His son, Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, tells the story of how, in revealing
the cause of his father's death, he and his family hoped to lift the veil on
the killer epidemic, and of Femi's own personal crusade to break the
silence surrounding AIDS, the greatest catastrophe facing Africa.

n Nigeria and n(1 lanily other
countiries iti the developling worl(d, an unacceptable silence conitinues to
1hamper 'effirts to check
Ihe fast anl deadly spread (
A I)S. (Governmeliiits, families
a;1id inlividuals have all played
ill) the hIanls of the disease li
remiaining silent or ot speaking
out lotudly aind repeated(lly enough
for the miessage to sink in.
After my father's death, his
brother Olikoye Raisome-kiti
anid I spoke il l)beca1use we felt a
personal nieed Ito llreak the
si lice about A I)DS. We felt it
wo"ild be criminal1) to continiie in
lthe co1spiracy of silence, whlich

only encourages ignorance, stokes
dlenial and l)eirpetuates misinfrrination during this mouinental
eatastrophe.
The moment we went Ipubllic
was also the start of lily personal
cornrlitmeiit to give a voice to
tile shockinig reality of AII)S.
In mily colicerts, I speak about
AIDS, and I often have banners
on stage promoting AIDS awareness. I also try to )uild this
awareness tiroiughi other forlins
and I c hallenge others lucky
eienough to be ili my position to)
1o the same.
AIDS is real and it is here, indliscrimninatelv cutting down those
we know and love brothers,

sisters, fathers and mothers.
Africa and its friends need to
confront AIDS with tile same
(determination and unity as they
would any enemy seeking to
annihilate them. Although battle
hardened, Africa has never confronted such a ruthless foe: Of
the 2.8 million people who died
of AII)S last year, 79 per cent
were Africans. By the end of this
year, 10.4 million children under
the age of 15, the nimajoritv in
Africa, will have lost their mother
or both iparents to AI)S.
AIDS is our continent's greatest social anli human catastrophe
in history and its )rofo)undly
grave inlmplications on econonmic
iland political stability are already
evident: Families are dlevastated,
communities are decimated, hospitals are overwhelmniedl. Schools
have lost teachers to the (lisease

and 1)llI)ils are leinig forced to
011) out for lacok of tinds. Businesses have siffereol j ersollel
and productivity losses that are
dlifficult to absorb. Africa's hardlwon gains in recent years - in
health, educatiii andl( iiildustr
are evaporating.
We are grateful that the Unite(l
Nations Securit (ouncil ithis
ear (discussed for the first tiiie
ever a health issue and put AIDS
in Africa on its agelnda, asking
Sdonor natiolns to colllnlit o10i'e
resources to fi ghitinig it.
Withi such help, however, must
coeii national obligations as
well. One of the most ililportait
actions for goveriimients and all
those ill positiolis of inluenice,
knowledge andl power is to raise
the alarm loudly and clearly.
iinformation is a powverful tool in
the struggle to tame the rampant
slpread( of AIDS. In Africa, it is
tione of the few tools we have.
We have not used( it very well.
In some parts of Nigeria. onily
about Iperson in 10 eveln knows
what AIDS is, much less how to
avoidl it. Aind we are paving
learly for this iginorance: There
are 2.7 nillioii n people now inifecte d with lIV in oui (cotintry.
This lack of inlo)rilliation exists
iot only here in Nigeria. Suchi
levels of mlisiilforii1ation are to
he found all over the (oiltinlent.
Failing to eldulcate people about
the dlisease is like siglning their
dleath sentence. Vollitical leaders.
artists, performers andl teachers.
therefore, nieed to seize every
opportunity to eiducate peoplle

Femi Anikulapo-Kuti is a world renowned ambassador of Afro-Beat music and a celebrity
advocate in the fight against AIDS. He has developed television spots and messages in
Nigeria that reach millions of his young fans and cal for urgent action against practices
that lead to the death of young and old alike.

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