[afro-nets] Afrobeat Project aids HIV/AIDS control efforts in Nigeria

[Omololu Falobi <omololu@nigeria-aids.org>]

Afrobeat Project aids HIV/AIDS control efforts in Nigeria
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A US-based musical group, the Chicago Afrobeat Project (CAbP)
has pledged to donate proceeds of its new album to support in-
formation dissemination efforts to control the AIDS epidemic in
Nigeria.

To this end, it has committed to donate a percentage of the
sales of its album to Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS), a not-
for-profit HIV/AIDS communication and advocacy organisation in
Nigeria.

The Chicago Afrobeat Project (CAbP) is a dynamic musical collec-
tive rooted in '70s funk and jazz-infused Afrobeat. The groups
mission is "to push experimental Afrobeat to listeners across
the globe".

Aside the passion for Afrobeat music and the need to extend its
popularity the Chicago Afrobeat Project is a platform for sup-
porting causes, which seeks to improve the quality of human life
and facilitate development, hence the donation to JAAIDS.

"We in CAbP feel it's important to give back to the community in
which the source of our music began. As such, we will be donat-
ing a percentage of all CD sales of our new album to Journalists
Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, a non-profit group based in La-
gos, Nigeria that develops innovative communication programs to
help battle AIDS in Nigeria", according to a statement on the
group's website: www.chicagoafrobeatproject.com

The group began in late 2002 in a third-story loft on Lake
Street in Chicago, USA. What began as a simple experiment turned
into sifting through unique and colourful musicians literally
from around the world. Today, CAbP consists of a full percussion
section, a full horn section, keys, guitar, bass and African
dancers at select shows.

Afrobeat is a unique musical genre pioneered by Nigeria's char-
ismatic political and human rights activist, Fela Aikulapo-Kuti.
Upon his death in 1997, Fela left behind an unheralded legacy of
music that spanned four decades and produced over 70 albums.

Fela never believed in the reality of AIDS. But his death in
1997 of AIDS-related complications was to change the perception
of several Nigerians, particularly his followers, about the re-
ality of AIDS. Fela was seen as a deity - an 'Abami', a reincar-
nated god, even though he didn't call for adoration.

Fela's death also brought to the fore the absence of reliable
information and data about AIDS which made its coverage as at
that time a bit difficult for journalists. This vacuum spurred
the advent of JAAIDS. Since then, JAAIDS has played catalytic
roles in HIV/AIDS advocacy efforts and improving the quality of
discourse and media reporting of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

"CAbP's donation is a welcome tonic to aid our work with the me-
dia and civil society in Nigeria", said JAAIDS' executive direc-
tor Omololu Falobi. "We deeply appreciate this gesture, particu-
larly coming as it were from a group that maintains close links
to Afrobeat and to Fela, whose AIDS-related death did a lot to
change the tide in public awareness about HIV and AIDS Nigeria".

CAbP's debut CD is a self-titled album that features more than
60 minutes of original Afrobeat, which elicits reminiscences of
the legendary Fela himself.

Tracks in the album include: Talking Bush, Tibet on It, Jekajo
(With Morikeba Kouyate), Crunch, West Ganji, Zambi (With Diverse
and Poetree Chicago) and BMW (with Fareed Haque).

To purchase the album, please visit:
http://www.chicagoafrobeatproject.com

To know more about Journalists Against AIDS and how you can sup-
port our work, please visit: http://www.nigeria-aids.org

Kingsley Obom-Egbulem
Head, Research and Communication
Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria
mailto:jaaidsng@nigeria-aids.org