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 Sunday tribute came as Fela was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy of America, making him the first African to receive the 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,” the President said in a statement he personally signed on Sunday.
Tinubu described Fela’s courage, creativity, and conviction as defining qualities that shaped a generation and continue to inspire the world.
He noted that the Grammy recognition serves as an affirmation of Fela’s enduring global influence and his foundational role in the evolution of 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, 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,” the President stated.
