Story of Fela’s smoking contest with Shabba Ranks resurfaces, netizens react

The reported smoking contest between legendary singers, Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon who is also known as Shaba Ranks has generated some reactions on social media.

It was reported that in 1992 when Shabba Ranks came to Nigeria to perform at a concert, he decided to visit the shrine of Afrobeat legend, Fela at Kalakuta early in the day.

The post shared by Yoruba History on Facebook stated that Shabba Ranks had heard about the smoking legacy of Fela and he’d come to take his bragging right of being the guy who out-smoked the Nigerian singer.

Fela reportedly accepted the challenge and it turned out that Shabba Ranks passed out after they smoked some wraps of weed.

Born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in 15 October 1938, he died on 2 August 1997.

He was known as Abami Eda. He was a musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and pan-Africanist.

He is regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeat.

Check out some reactions

Ogunwusi Olusegun wrote: I would have loved to hear more about him… how he fight for justice and equity, his courage and bravery to fight against corruption, using his music to educate and enlighten the populace of the abnormality in the government.

Christopher Lungile Mgabaza commented: As a South African Fela was and he is still my favourite Nigerian musician the first song that I listened to was teacher don’t teach me no sense hey I fell in love with this song when I listened to it I found out that there was something common between me and this guy and is Pan Africanism the song plays for 25 minutes if I’m not mistaken but when it finishes you want to play it again had deep love of his country and the continent as a whole long live Fela we will keep on playing your music on and on and on

Mustapha Joda said: It’s a lesson to our youths and those who have important thing to achieve but under the influence of drugs. They will also miss it as the Shaba Rank missed his concert.

Nat Foha: commented: Fela was the most fearless African and Nigerian and so was his mother. May their souls rest in peace . All that Fela sang in music has been witnessed.

Bamidele Sunday said: Is a good and confirm story but anything you call history can never be completed,he didn’t missed his show but after he collapse he was taken back to Sheraton hotel where he lodge and he started misbehaving by the swimming pool side harassing woman

Isaac Ushie wrote: Na wao, see me see trouble, is this story real? A big lesson to learn from this.