Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense
Fela Kuti Lyrics

TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURER BE YOUR NAME
The educator, the instructor, they are synonymous with the individual who imparts knowledge.

TEACHER, TEACHER-O NA THE LECTURE BE THE SAME
The teacher, the one who teaches, they are synonymous with the content of the instruction itself.

MAKE-EE NO TEACH-EE ME AGAIN OH
Please refrain from instructing me any further.

AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-O
Once the teaching is completed, the substance being taught will lose its vitality.

AS SOON TEACHING FINISH YES, DA THING-EE IT GON DIE IT DEY-OME AND YOU NO DEY FOR THE SAME-U CATEGORY
When the instruction concludes, the content being taught will lose its relevance, while you, the instructor, remain unaffected.

NA THE SAME CATEGORY-O
We both belong to the same group or classification.

Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-Ke, Ke-re-ke, Ke-re-Ji-Ke-Ke
Let us engage in rhythmic music together, harmonizing our voices and instruments.

YAA!
Expressing excitement and affirmation.

All the wahala, all the problems, All the things, all the things they go do, For this world go start, When the teacher, schoolboy and schoolgirl jam together
The myriad difficulties, the various undertakings that will transpire in this world, commence when the teacher, student, and pupil collaborate harmoniously.

Who be teacher? I go let you know, When we be pikin, FATHA/ MAMA BE TEACHER, When we dey for school, TEACHER BE TEACHER, Now dey University, LECTURER BE TEACHER, When we start to work, GOVERNMENT BE TEACHER
Who is considered the teacher? I will inform you. In childhood, our parents fulfill this role, while in school, the teacher assumes the position. As we progress to university, the lecturer becomes the teacher, and eventually, in the workforce, the government takes on this role.

CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION
Furthermore, our culture and traditions play a part in shaping our education.

Now the problem side, of a teaching student-ee, I go sing about, I don pass pikin, I don pass school, university, se-fa pass, As I don start to work, na government I must se-fa pass
Now, allow me to discuss the drawbacks experienced by a student being taught. I have surpassed childhood, education at all levels, and even exceeded university. And yet, as I enter the workforce, I am still subject to governmental authority.

Da go for France, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Engi-land, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Italy, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Germany, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM, For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM, For dem , YES SIR/YES MAAM
This is prevalent not only in France, England, Italy, and Germany, but also in their respective cultures. There, the culture itself assumes the role of the teacher.

Go China , YES SIR/YES MAAM, Russia, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Korea, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Viet Nam, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM, For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM, For dem, YES SIR/YES MAAM
Similarly, in China, Russia, Korea, and Vietnam, the culture plays the role of teacher.

Go Syria, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Jordan, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Iran, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Iraq, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Na dem culture, YES SIR/YES MAAM, For der, YES SIR/YES MAAM, Be teacher, YES SIR/YES MAAM, For dem
In Syria, Jordan, Iran, and Iraq, the culture assumes the responsibility of teaching.

Let us face ourselves for Afrika, Na de matter of Afrika, This part-ee of my song, Na all the problems of this world, In we dey carry, for Afrika, Wey no go ask-ee me, WHICH ONE? (*after each line)
Let us confront the issues present in Africa, for this concerns the entirety of Africa. This segment of my song expounds on the problems that burden us in Africa, without asking me which particular issue I am referring to.

Problems of inflation, Problems of corruption, Of mismanagement, Stealing by government, Nothing we dey carry, All over Afrika, Na de latest one, Na him dey make me laugh
These problems include inflation, corruption, mismanagement, and government theft. We carry and endure all of these issues throughout Africa, and the most recent one in particular is laughable.

AUSTERITY (*after each line), Austeri-, Austeri-, Na him dey latest one, Na him dey make me laugh
Austerity measures, marked by financial and resource constraints, is the most recent problem that elicits laughter from me.

Man no fit cry?, Who be our teacher na Oyinbo?, Who be our teacher na Oyinbo?
Can a man not shed tears? Who is our teacher? It is the white man, the European.

(Bo-ptch!) Oyinbo teach-ee us, (Yuh-ngh!) Oyinbo for Europe-oh, Oyinbo teach us many many things-ee, Many of dem things I don sing about-ee
The white man has instructed us, the European white man. They have imparted a multitude of teachings upon us, many of which I have mentioned in my songs.

Me I no gin copy Oyinbo style, Let us think say, Oyinbo no pass me, When Shagari finish him elections, Wey dem no tell am, say him make mistake-ee
I refuse to emulate the style of the white man. Let us believe that the white man does not surpass me. When Shagari concluded his elections, they neglected to inform him of the mistakes he made.

Say this yo, no be democracy, Oyinbo dem no tell army self, Na for England-ee, I me no fit take over, I come think about this demo-crazy
As I declare, this is not true democracy. The white man did not even inform the military. In England, I cannot take over. This led me to reflect on the concept of 'demo-crazy'.

Demo-crazy, DEMO-CRAZY, Crazy demo, DEMO-CRAZY, Demonstration of craze, DEMO-CRAZY, Crazy demonstration, DEMO-CRAZY, If it no be craze, DEMO-CRAZY, Why for Afrika? DEMO-CRAZY, As time dey go, DEMO-CRAZY, Things just dey bad, DEMO-CRAZY, They bad more and more, DEMO-CRAZY, Poor man dey cry, DEMO-CRAZY, Rich man dey mess, DEMO-CRAZY
Demo-crazy, a play on words, refers to a situation where lunacy prevails. It manifests as a demonstration of madness, as things worsen over time. The impoverished suffer and cry, while the affluent engage in reckless behavior.

Na dem-o-cr-azy be the deal, Na dem-o-cr-azy be the deal, Who don teach us ee dem-o-cr-azy?, (Bo-ptch!) Oyinbo teach-ee us, (Yuh-ngh!) Oyinbo for Europe-oh, Oyinbo teach us many many things-ee, Many of dem things I don sing about-ee
The deal is that we are in 'dem-o-cr-azy'. The white man has taught us 'dem-o-cr-azy'. The European white man has imparted numerous teachings upon us. Many of those teachings have been captured in my songs.

Na de conclude, The conclud-ee of my song I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my song
This marks the conclusion, the essence of my song. I express, sing, and implore everyone to join me in my song.

I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my, I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my, I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my
I declare, sing, and plead with everyone to participate in my song.