Lekan Animasaun aka Baba Ani, Fela’s saxophonist from the days of Koola Lobitos in the early 60s is 87.
Baba played for Fela and when Fela died Seun, his son, inherited him as leader of the Egypt 80 band.
From my university days to my career as a young journalist I watched Baba Ani played the saxophone with unparalleled dexterity. “As a performer, Baba Ani plays piano, baritone and tenor saxophone, shekere and other instruments that use treble clef.
He grabbed his baritone saxophone which he called the grandmother of all saxophones and continued to enlighten his guest on the elements of highlife, traditional music and jazz that formed Afrobeat.”
In the course of his long career he released, I think, two solo albums which he often plays to kick start the band’s performance.
He is a delight to watch and listen to with his oversized Kangor cap.
He could be the longest serving employee of a musical band in the world. So Guinness World Record should take note. It takes a man of his grit to survive those years of turbulence with an arrant Fela. Arrest today, beatings tomorrow, disruption of tours by security forces, burning of Fela’s house and shrine by the army and once exile in Ghana.
He bears none of those scars but always willing to cheerfully share the memory.
Baba Ani, at 87, is still very active and goes on tour with the band all over the world. This is apart from leading the band every weekend and dishing out soulful tunes at the Shrine whenever they are home.
Happy birthday Baba Ani. We pray you play the sax till you are 100. May your sax never go silent.
