U.S. (Underground System)

“Underground System” by Fela Kuti is about how great leaders in Africa are targeted by selfish and corrupted leaders. The song served as a tribute to Fela Kuti’s friend Thomas Sankara, who was killed in a coup against his government in 1987.

Below are the lyrics:

I don sing song for the great African men
I don sing song for the great African men
Na Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah be the greatest one
I don sing song for the great African men
I don sing song against African thieves
I don sing song against African thieves
Na Obasanjo be the biggest thief I sing about and Abiola
I don sing song against African thieves
I ask many African young people today
Dem no know nothing about Kwame Nkrumah
To know Nkrumah, yeye leaders no fit dey
To know Nkrumah, yeye presidents no fit dey
To know Nkrumah, African personality go show
To know Nkrumah, prosperity go dey flow
To know Nkrumah, African pride dey go dey shine
To know Nkrumah, Good good things dey go dey happen
To know Nkrumah, Good good things dey go dey happen
To know Nkrumah, Good good things dey go dey happen
To know Nkrumah, Good good things dey go dey happen
To know Nkrumah, Good good things dey go dey happen

When one good man wan’ rise for Africa today
Bad leaders dem go and finish am
When one good man want rise for Africa today
Useless people dem go and finish am
Dem go plan against am
Lie against am, lie against am
Talk against am, talk against am
Gang against am, gang against am
Plan against am, lie against am
You no see Nkrumah dey finish am
You no see Sekou Toure dey finish am
You no see Lumumba dey finish am
You no see Idi Amin dey finish am
You no see Ben Bella dey finish am
You no see Mandela dem wan’ kill am
You no see Beko as dem wan’ kill am
You no see my brother as dem wan kill am
Anywhere all over the world
Young people dem go dey look up to leaders
Wetin leaders dey do young people go dey do
One good thing African people dey do
Few of dem dem go gather together
Dem go start one club
Dem go dey contribute money together
Dem go dey share the money wey dem dey contribute
Once everything na by turn by turn
One good thing about this matter be say it is in the African tradition
For people to trust themselves
Hear Sankara story O jare
One African leader dey today
Him name na President Sankara
He’s the only leader wey he dey
Wey no dey fear to talk the truth
Him name na President Sankara
He’s only leader wey he dey
Him say African unity
One African Government for all
All the other leaders wey dem dey
Na only dem pockets wey dem know
Underground system is their lives
One African leader dey today
All African people dem like the man
Him name na President Sankara
Hear Sankara story O jare
All African people dem like the man
His name na President Sanakara
West African governments dem get one club
Dem call the club dem call am ECOWAS, CEDEAO in French
When e reach Sankara’s turn to be chairman
African leaders dem start to fear
The underground system in their lives
Disrupt, corruption and destruction
Mismanagement of the mind don start
Underground system that always give mistrusts
That comot Sankara from his turn
Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Senegal
Dem come show the colour of their minds
When e reach Sankara’s turn to be chairman
African leaders dem start to fear
The underground system in their lives
Since I dey young for my country
Those people I understand
Since the time I done grow up
To find people to trust e hard
Na the leaders wey dey Africa
Dey no dey show good example
Na the leaders wey dey Africa
Dem go just dey misbehaving
The condition of my country
Dey make me crying for my songs
On top of all these
Dem go kill Sankara
As I dey write this song for am
Dem go kill Sankara
Dem go kill Sankara
As I dey write this song for am
As I dey write this song for am
When e reach my turn for turn by turn
When my turn by turn for chairman reach
When e reach my turn for turn by turn
When my turn by turn for chairman reach
The chairman na by turn by turn
The money all by turn by turn
The chairman na by turn by turn
All na by turn by turn
The chairman all by turn by turn
The money all by turn by turn
The chairman all by turn by turn
All na by turn by turn
All by turn by turn don turn to mess
If dem kill Sankara nko
Dem shoot me today e no go possible tomorrow
Dem shoot me today e no go possible tomorrow
Dem shoot me today e no go possible tomorrow
If dem kill Sankara nko
The blood dey go for dem head
If dem kill Sankara nko
Den no fit kill him spirit
If dem kill Sankara nko
Den no fit kill him spirit
If dem kill Sankara nko
The blood dey go for dem head
If dem kill Sankara nko
Africa must resurrect him roots
If dem kill Sankara nko
Africa must resurrect him roots