President Bola Tinubu has lauded late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him as a fearless voice of the people and a revolutionary musician whose work confronted injustice and reshaped the global music landscape.
The tribute came on Sunday as Fela was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy of America, making him the first African to receive the prestigious honour.
“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,” President Tinubu said in a statement personally signed on Sunday.
He praised Fela’s courage, creativity, and conviction, noting that these qualities defined a generation and continue to inspire the world.
According to the President, the Grammy recognition affirms Fela’s enduring influence and highlights his foundational role in advancing Africa’s impact on modern music.
“Fela Kuti has blazed the trail with the Recording Academy of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African to receive this honour posthumously. This award affirms his global influence and the foundational role he has played in shaping modern music,” he added.
Tinubu also referenced Yoruba cultural and spiritual beliefs, saying Fela has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa, thus attaining immortality in the hearts of many.
“He defined Afrobeat, and his influence can be heard in generations of Nigerian musicians and beyond. Fela lives,” the President said.
Fela Kuti, who passed away in 1997, is celebrated for creating Afrobeat, a fusion of traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, funk, and highlife music, which has left an indelible mark on global music.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the Recording Academy’s highest honours, reserved for artists whose contributions have fundamentally shaped the music industry and culture at large.
