Zombie was first played by Fela Kuti and Africa 70 at FESTAC (Festival for Black Arts and Culture) in Lagos, Nigeria in 1977. The song's immediate popularity (it satirised the military government of the time) incurred the wrath of the government, and soldiers destroyed Kuti's home. He fled to Ghana and continued to perform Zombie there, at one point provoking a riot which resulted in the entire band being thrown out of the country. the song is said to have become popular throughout Africa

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