ITT
Fela Kuti Lyrics


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International thief, thief
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
I.T.T. (international thief, thief)
International thief (international thief, thief)

(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
I.T.T. (international thief, thief)
International rogue (international thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)

(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)

(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)

Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, ah!
(Nah so-so increment sha)
(But sha man no go kill himself)
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, ah!

Wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, ah!

Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, ah!

Hey (wetin una dey enjoy oh?)
(For overseas, overseas)
Motherfuckers, bastard motherfuckers (yeah)
Make I yab dem? (Yeah, yeah)
Iβ€²ll yab them (yeah) say yeah (yeah)
(All those motherfuckers them)
(Yab them, yab them)

Well well, na true I want talk again oh (well, well)
Na true I want talk again oh (well, well)
If I dey lie oh (well, well)
Make Osiri punish me (well, well)
Make Ifa dey punish me oh (well, well)
Make Edumare punish me oh (well, well)
Make the land dey punish me oh (well, well)
Make Edumare punish me oh (well, well)
I read dem for book e oh (well, well)
I see some myself e oh (well, well)
Well e well e oh (well, well) well, well
Well e well e oh (well, well) well, well

Na true I want talk again oh (well, well)
If I dey lie oh (well, well)
Make Osiri punish me (well, well)
Make Ifa dey punish me oh (well, well)
Make Edumare punish me oh (well, well)
Make the land dey punish me oh (well, well)
I read dem for book e oh (well, well)
I see some myself e oh (well, well)
Well e well e oh (well, well) well, well
Well e well e oh (well, well) well, well

Na true I want talk again oh (well, well)
If I dey lie oh (well, well)
Make Osiri punish me (well, well)
Make Edumare punish me oh (well, well)
Make the land dey punish me oh (well, well)
Make Ifa dey punish me oh (well, well)
I read dem for book e oh (well, well)
I see some myself e oh (well, well)
I see some myself e oh (well, well) well, well
Well e well e oh (well, well) well, well

Long time ago
Long, long time ago (long time ago)
Long, long, long, long time ago (long time ago)
African man we no dey carry shit (long time ago)
We dey shit inside big-big hole (long time ago)
For Yoruba land na shalanga (long time ago)
For Igbo land na onu-insi (long time ago)
For Hausa land na saluga (long time ago)

For Gaa land na tiafi (long time ago)
For Ashanti land na yarni (long time ago)
For Ethiopia land na sagara-bet (long time ago)
For Kagiyu land na cho-cho (long time ago)
For Bemba land na chimbuzi (long time ago)
For Tunga land na echibuzi (long time ago)
Long, long, long, long time ago (long time ago)
African man we no dey carry shit (long time ago)
We dey shit inside big-big hole (long time ago)
Long, long, long, long time ago (long time ago)

Long, long, long, long time ago (long time ago)
Before them come force us away as slaves (long time ago)
During the time them come force us away as slaves
(Long time ago)
Na European man, na him dey carry shit (long time ago)
Na for them culture to carry shit (long time ago)
During the time them come colonize us (long time ago)
Them come teach us to carry shit (long time ago)
Long, long, long, long time ago (long time ago)
African man we no dey carry shit (long time ago)
Na European man teach us to carry shit (long time ago)

Many foreign companies dey Africa
Carry all our money go (say am, say am)
Many foreign companies dey Africa
Carry all our money go (say am, say am)
Them go write big English for newspaper
Dabaru we Africans (say am, say am)
Them go write big English for newspaper
Dabaru we Africans (say am, say am)

I read about one of them inside book like that
Them call him name na I.T.T. (say am, say am)
I read about one of them inside book like that
Them call him name na I.T.T. (say am, say am)
Them go dey cause confusion (confusion)
Cause corruption (corruption)
Cause oppression (oppression)
Cause inflation (inflation)

Them go dey cause oppression (oppression)
Cause confusion (confusion)
Cause corruption (corruption)
Cause inflation (inflation)
Cause oppression (oppression)
Cause confusion (confusion)
Cause inflation (inflation)
Cause oppression (oppression)
Oppression, oppression, inflation
Corruption, oppression, inflation

Them get one style wey them dey use
Them go pick one African man
A man with low mentality
Them go give am million naira breads
To become of high position here
Him go bribe some thousand naira bread
To become one useless chief

Like rat they do
Them go do from corner, corner, passi, passi
Under, under, passi, passi
Side, side, passi, passi
In, in, passi, passi
Out, out, passi, passi
Peep, peep, passi, passi
Unu, unu, passi, passi

Corner, corner, passi, passi
Under, under, passi, passi
Side, side, passi, passi
Up, up, passi, passi
Corner, corner, passi, passi
Under, under, passi, passi
Side, side

Then he gradually
Gradually, gradually, gradually
Then he gradually
Gradually, gradually, gradually
Them go be friend, friend to journalist
Friend, friend to Commissioner
Friend, friend to Permanent Secretary
Friend, friend to Minister
Friend, friend to Head of State

Then start, start to steal money
Start, start them corruption
Start, start them inflation
Start, start them oppression
Start, start them confusion
Start, start them oppression
Start, start to steal money
Start, start to steal money

Like Obasanjo and Abiola (international thief, thief)
I.T.T. (international thief, thief)
International rogue (international thief, thief)
International thief (international thief, thief)
We go fight them, well well (well, well)
Well, well (well, well) wellu, well (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)

We don tire (well, well) to carry (well, well)
Anymore of them shit (well, well)
We don tire (well, well) to carry (well, well)
Anymore of them shit (well, well)
We don tire (well, well) to carry (well, well)
Anymore of them shit (well, well)

Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)

Wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) wellu, wellu (well, well)
Wellu, wellu (well, well) ah, ye!

(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)

(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well) wellu, wellu (well-well) wellu, wellu
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)

(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)

(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)

(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well)
(Well-well, well-well, well-well)

(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)

(International thief, thief)




(International thief, thief)
(International thief, thief)

Overall Meaning

Fela Kuti's song "ITT" (which stands for International Thief-Thief) is a politically charged commentary on the corruption, exploitation, and oppression perpetuated by foreign companies in Africa. In the song, Fela targets the multinational corporations that he believes are stealing from Africa and exploiting its people. He uses the repeated refrain of "international thief-thief" to emphasize his point.


The song starts with Fela chanting "international thief-thief" over a rhythmic Afrobeat melody, and he goes on to highlight how these foreign companies are stealing from Africa by taking their resources, exploiting their workers, corrupting their governments, and manipulating their economies. He also criticizes how these companies use their financial power to influence the local media and government officials, and how they divide and conquer local communities.


At the end of the song, Fela calls on Africans to rise up and fight against these foreign companies and their corrupt practices. He sings that Africans have grown tired of carrying the burden of these companies' greed and exploitation, and he urges them to take action to reclaim their resources and their power.


Line by Line Meaning

International thief, thief
Referring to international corporations that exploit Africa and its resources


I.T.T. (international thief, thief)
Abbreviation for International Telephone and Telegraph, a multinational corporation known for its exploitative practices


International rogue (international thief, thief)
Describing the unethical behavior and actions of these international corporations


Wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu, wellu
Expressing frustration and exhaustion


Nah so-so increment sha
Criticizing the continuous increase in corruption and oppression


But sha man no go kill himself
Acknowledging the resilience and determination to continue fighting against injustice


Hey (wetin una dey enjoy oh?)
Questioning the benefits and enjoyment gained by those in power


Motherfuckers, bastard motherfuckers (yeah)
Expressing anger and contempt towards corrupt individuals


Make I yab dem? (Yeah, yeah)
Expressing the desire to criticize and expose their wrongdoing


Well well, na true I want talk again oh
Emphasizing the need to speak the truth and expose the corruption


If I dey lie oh (well, well)
Challenging anyone to prove him wrong


Make Osiri punish me (well, well)
Willing to face punishment if proven wrong


Long time ago
Referring to a time when African people were self-sufficient and not controlled by foreign powers


African man we no dey carry shit
Highlighting the independence and dignity of African people


For Yoruba land na shalanga
Describing how waste was disposed of in traditional Yoruba culture


Na European man, na him dey carry shit
Showing the influence of European colonialism and how they introduced the practice of carrying waste


Many foreign companies dey Africa
Pointing out the presence of exploitative foreign companies in Africa


Carry all our money go (say am, say am)
Accusing these companies of exploiting African resources for their own profit


Them go cause confusion, corruption, oppression, inflation
Denouncing the negative effects and consequences brought upon Africa by these companies


Them get one style wey them dey use
Revealing the tactics employed by these foreign companies


Them go pick one African man
Explaining how they manipulate and bribe individuals to serve their interests


Like rat they do
Comparing their actions to those of rodents


Them go gradually start to steal money, cause corruption, oppression, confusion
Describing the gradual process of corruption and exploitation initiated by these companies


Like Obasanjo and Abiola (international thief, thief)
Mentioning specific Nigerian figures known for their involvement in corruption


We go fight them, well well
Expressing the determination to resist and combat these corrupt forces


We don tire (well, well) to carry (well, well) anymore of them shit
Rejecting the burden of carrying the consequences of their actions




Writer(s): Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Contributed by Ruby S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@popsonjaiyesimi7670

Fela songs should be studied as an African Renaissance. It will change the psychology of the future generations.

@vickjr98

Fela Kuti. The greatest African to have ever lived

@oluchiosakwe

This song hits different. Fela was a prophet in the sense that all what he sang about is still happening decades after he said so. May his soul rest in perfect peace

@veelawrence4285

Yes it was same American company ITT he was referring. They were awarded a multi billion dollar telecommunications contract in Nigeria in the early 1970s along with their Nigerian agent MKO Abiola. They did such a substandard and shoddy work that inspires the music by Fela calling them international Thief Thief

@ondolite3789

Not widely known.
Thank you.

@adeniran77

22 years since the Legend departed..... Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Gone but never forgotten

@Jamjulius

adebayo adeniran God bless his spirit

@samola282

Legendary. The only Philosopher Nigeria if not Africa produced

@MBhat001

@@samola282 you people don't deserve such an icon. Killed him for different views on politics and subtle criticism.

@samola282

@@MBhat001 Not my people. Nigeria is divided into two. The Southern part are full of progressive Nigerians (Yoruba and Igbo) while the Northern part are full of Fulani jihadist. The Fulani jihadist that were in position of power in our Govt killed Fela . And have continued to terrorize the south. That's our predicament in the failed British experiment called Nigeria. Fela spent most of his life using his music to counter that evil Govt

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