President Bola Tinubu has celebrated Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy, declaring him the first African recipient and affirming that Fela lives on through his enduring global influence.
Tinubu paid tribute to the late legendary musician following his historic recognition with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy of America, the body behind the Grammy Awards.
In a personally signed statement, the President described Fela as far more than a musician. He described him as a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound.
His statement read thus: “The world of music has honoured a giant, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
“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.
“His courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire the world. In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal.
“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 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.
“He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and beyond.”
The award marks a milestone, as Fela becomes the first African to receive this honour from the Recording Academy.
The President pointed out that Fela’s influence is evident in generations of Nigerian musicians and the global rise of Afrobeats.
