President Bola Tinubu hails Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti as “eternal” following his posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, praising his global influence and lasting legacy
“Fela Lives”: Tinubu Reacts as Afrobeat Icon Receives Historic Grammy Lifetime Award
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti following the late musician’s posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, describing the global icon as an eternal force whose influence has outlived mortality.
In a statement issued by the State House, President Tinubu said the honour affirms Fela’s towering impact on music, culture, and resistance, stressing that the legendary artiste was far more than an entertainer.
“The world of music has honoured a giant: Fela Anikulapo Kuti,” the president 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.”
According to Tinubu, Fela’s courage, creativity, and unwavering conviction not only defined a generation but continue to resonate across borders and eras, remaining deeply woven into contemporary music and social expression.
“His courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire the world,” the president added.
In a culturally evocative passage, Tinubu invoked Yoruba cosmology to frame Fela’s enduring relevance, suggesting that the Afrobeat pioneer has moved beyond the physical realm into immortality.
“In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal,” Tinubu said.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award makes Fela Kuti the first African to receive the prestigious honour, albeit posthumously — a milestone Tinubu said underscores Africa’s foundational role in shaping modern global 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, though posthumously,” the statement read. “The award is an affirmation of his enduring global influence and the foundational role he has played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music.”
The president also linked Fela’s legacy to the meteoric rise of contemporary Afrobeats, noting that today’s global success of Nigerian music draws directly from the Afrobeat sound Fela pioneered decades ago.
“He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and beyond,” Tinubu said.
The tribute concluded with a simple but powerful refrain that captured the moment’s cultural weight and national pride, “Fela lives.” Read More
