President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid tribute to the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti following his posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, describing him as a “fearless voice of the people,” presidential communications confirmed on Sunday.
In a statement personally signed by Tinubu titled “Fela Lives,” the president said the recognition by the Recording Academy of America underscores Fela’s enduring global influence and foundational role in shaping modern music from Africa.
He was honoured as the first African recipient of the award.
Tinubu said Fela was more than a musician, calling him a philosopher of freedom and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound. He added that Fela’s courage, creativity and conviction defined a generation and continued to inspire people worldwide.
“In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal,” Tinubu said, reflecting on Fela’s cultural and spiritual legacy.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recognises artists whose work has made a profound and lasting impact on the recording arts. Fela’s influence is widely seen across generations of Nigerian musicians and in contemporary music genres like Afrobeats.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti (1938–1997) pioneered Afrobeat, a fusion of jazz, highlife, funk and traditional African music intertwined with sharp political commentary.
His music consistently challenged corruption, authoritarianism and social injustice in Nigeria and beyond.
Since his death in 1997, Fela’s work has inspired artists across Africa and the world, and his legacy persists in the vibrant global presence of Afrobeat and its evolution into modern Afrobeats.
Tinubu said the award affirms Africa’s growing influence in global music and celebrates Fela’s role in expanding the continent’s cultural footprint.
The recognition also follows increasing international appreciation of Nigerian music and artists on the world stage.
President Tinubu’s tribute highlights Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s historic Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as a landmark moment for African music.
The president’s statement honoured Fela as a fearless advocate for freedom and a cultural icon whose influence continues to resonate within Nigeria and globally.
