President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, following his posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tinubu described Fela as more than a musician, calling him a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom and a revolutionary force who confronted injustice through music.
The president said Fela’s courage, creativity and conviction defined a generation and continued to inspire audiences across the world.
In a tribute issued on Sunday in Abuja, Tinubu said Fela’s legacy had transcended time, describing him as eternal in cultural and spiritual relevance.
He noted that Fela became the first African to receive the Recording Academy of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, though posthumously.
The president said the honour affirmed Fela’s enduring global influence and the foundational role he played in shaping modern music from Africa.
Tinubu said Fela defined Afrobeat, with his influence evident across generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and global sounds.
“He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and beyond.
“Fela lives,” the president said.
