Tiken Jah Fakoly

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L'Africain

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Once again the athletic singer from Côte d’Ivoire reveals a new dimension to his impressive career with L’Africain. After the anger and denunciations of Françafrique (2002) and Coup de Gueule (2004), Tiken brings out a more introspective album, without losing the fire and brim that his music is associated with. The result is a moving battle fought out in the middle ground between poignancy and militancy. This difficult balance is reached thanks to the subject matter which goes from denunciations of Europe’s immigration policies and the US occupation of Iraq, to criticism of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and forced marriages in Africa. “I wanted to show my fans that there were also pressing social issues that need to be addressed in our continent,” he explained in an exchange with journalists at Agadir’s Timitar festival in July. “My previous albums have hit out at the colonialist and post-colonialist policies that have ruined Africa. L’Africain is more nuanced, it tries to go beyond the North-South tensions and question the traditions that are handicapping my brothers and sisters at home.” This approach crystallises around Fakoly’s three songs on immigration to the West. “Ouvrez les frontières” (Open the borders), “Africain à Paris” and “Où Aller Où?” (Where to go where?) is a trilogy that both denounces the double standards in Western immigration policy; and warns Africans desperate enough to take the perilous voyage to Europe, that there is no El Dorado here. “For most of those who make it to the West there is only misery, isolation, racism and suffering. They are often much worse off than their brethren back home.” Home. A word that has a special resonance for the gregarious Ivorian who has been exiled in Bamako since 2002. As a Muslim from the north of the country, Fakoly was forced to leave Abidjan or face harassment, abuse… or worse. “It was no joking matter,” he told me at a May exchange in London, as he was putting the finishing touches on L’Africain. “I know for a fact that my name was on a list circulating among the death squads shortly after the country descended into civil war. My friend H. Camara (a well-known Ivorian comedian, ed.), did not heed the warnings. He was tortured and murdered shortly after the conflict began.” In L’Africain Fakoly’s concerns over his nation’s destiny are not as marked as in earlier releases, but he closes with a moving cry for peace entitled “Ma Côte d’Ivoire”. This call for reconciliation between the north and south of the country is shared by fellow-Ivorian singer Beta Simon whose first international release was produced by Fakoly. “This is my little grain of sand in the bridge that I hope will soon cement our people again. Our war has cost our people five years of misery and fear. It must end.” The song is one of several that feature guests from all horizons. “Non à l’Excision”, for example includes music by Geoffrey Oryema and the wondrous kora of Toumani Diabaté. [This exchange is currently being extended towards a short film on FGM, produced by a Belgian NGO and involving all three artists. It could make a strong impact on Fakoly’s current country of abode, Mali. Excision continues to be a widespread custom there (92% of Malian women aged 15 to 49 years old are excised, according to UNICEF statistics 1997-2005 - almost as many in urban as in rural areas).] L’Africain also features collaborations with Zebda artist Magyd Cherfi, Senegalese-American Akon and Soprano. But there is no disputing the over-arching imprint of the powerful Ivorian artist. Behind his calm demeanour and film-star good looks, Fakoly’s volcano of anger still simmers. It continues to nourish his musical calls for justice and respect for his continent. It comes as no surprise, therefore, to note that L’Africain is dedicated to the late François-Xavier Verschave, the French intellectual whose works on the French-African connections helped the singer discover the injustices his continent have suffered at the hands of their former colonial masters. October 2007 Daniel Brown

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