Fela Anikulapo Kuti was honoured by President Bola Tinubu, who described the renowned musician as a fearless voice of the people and a revolutionary force whose music challenged injustice and changed the world’s sound. President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, hailing the legendary musician as a fearless voice of the people and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped the global soundscape.
Tinubu’s tribute on Sunday coincided with Fela becoming the first African to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which was given to him posthumously by the Recording Academy of America.
“Fela was not just a musician. In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, the President said, “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 bravery, inventiveness, and conviction were defining traits that influenced a generation and still motivate people today.
According to him, the Grammy Award is proof of Fela’s lasting impact on the world and his pivotal role in the development of Africa’s influence on contemporary music.
Fela Kuti is the first African to be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy of America, albeit posthumously.
The President said, “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 emphasised Fela’s enduring legacy by referencing Yoruba cultural and spiritual ideas.
According to Yoruba mythology, he is an Orisa who has ascended to a higher plane. Tinubu described Fela’s eternal status by saying, “He is now eternal.”
Tinubu emphasised Fela’s groundbreaking contribution to the definition and popularisation of Afrobeat, a genre that has come to define modern African music on a global scale.
“You can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians as well as in Afrobeats and beyond. He defined Afrobeat.”
The President declared, “Fela lives.”
Fela won the coveted Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday, February 1, making history as the first African musician to do so.
At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, he received posthumous honours.
The legendary Afrobeat musician, who passed away in 1997, transformed African music by fusing jazz, funk, highlife, and traditional Yoruba rhythms to create Afrobeat.
One of the Recording Academy’s most prestigious awards, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, is usually given to musicians whose contributions have had a significant impact on both the music business and society at large.
