President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti following his posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,
Gatekeepers News reports that President Tinubu called the Nigerian music icon a powerful voice for freedom and a cultural force whose influence will never fade.
Tinubu’s comments came after Fela was celebrated in Los Angeles when his children accepted the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, making him the first African artist to receive the honour.
In a statement issued by the Presidency personally signed by the President, Tinubu said that Fela’s work went far beyond music and left a deep mark on the world. He explained that the late singer had stood up to injustice and helped reshape global sound through his art.
He said, “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.”
Reflecting on Fela’s courage and creative spirit, Tinubu said these qualities defined a whole generation and continue to inspire people everywhere. He also connected Fela’s legacy to Yoruba spiritual ideas, saying, “In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal.”
The President pointed out that the Grammy award highlighted Fela’s lasting influence on music from Africa and around the world. “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,” he said.
He added that the award “mis an affirmation of his enduring global influence and the foundational role he has played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music.
Tinubu also noted Fela’s role in creating Afrobeat and how his sound continues to be heard in Nigerian music today, especially in Afrobeats and modern global music trends. The President concluded his tribute with the powerful declaration: “Fela lives.”
Fela’s Grammy honour not only celebrates his musical contributions but also highlights the growing recognition of African artists on the world stage.
