President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has celebrated the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, following his recognition with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, describing the honour as a fitting tribute to a man whose music and message reshaped global sound and consciousness.
In a State House statement on Sunday, Tinubu said the world of music had honoured a giant, noting that Fela was far more than an entertainer but a fearless voice of the people who used sound as a weapon against oppression and injustice.
“Fela was more than a musician. He was a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound,” the President said.
Tinubu stated that Fela’s courage, creativity and conviction defined an era and continue to inspire generations across the world, adding that his influence remains evident in contemporary Nigerian music, Afrobeats and other global genres.
According to the President, Fela’s posthumous recognition by the Recording Academy of America makes him the first African to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a milestone he described as an affirmation of the late icon’s enduring global relevance.
“Fela Kuti has blazed the trail with the Recording Academy of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African to receive this honour, though posthumously. The award affirms his enduring global influence and the foundational role he played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music,” Tinubu said.
The President also referenced Yoruba mythology in describing Fela’s legacy, noting that the Afrobeat legend had attained an immortal status through his works and ideals.
“In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal,” Tinubu added.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who died in 1997, is widely regarded as the founder of Afrobeat, a genre that fused traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk and politically charged lyrics. His music and activism continue to influence artists and social movements decades after his death.
Tinubu concluded the statement with a reaffirmation of Fela’s lasting presence in global culture, declaring, “Fela lives.”
