Tinubu celebrates Fela’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

President Bola Tinubu has described the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, as a timeless cultural icon whose influence continues to shape global music, following his posthumous recognition with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The President said the world of music had honoured “a giant”, noting that Fela’s impact extended far beyond entertainment to philosophy, activism and cultural revolution.

“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 statement read.

According to the President, Fela’s “courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire the world”, describing the late artiste as eternal in both cultural and spiritual relevance.

“In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal,” Tinubu stated.

The President noted that Fela Kuti became the first African to receive the Recording Academy of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, albeit posthumously, describing the honour as an affirmation of his enduring global influence and Africa’s contribution to 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 statement said.

President Tinubu further acknowledged Fela’s role in defining Afrobeat, stressing that his influence remains evident across generations of Nigerian musicians and in contemporary 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,” he added.

“Fela lives”, the President declared.