President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti following his posthumous recognition with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, describing the late musician as a fearless advocate for justice whose influence transcends generations.
In a statement issued on Sunday, President Tinubu hailed Fela as more than a musician, portraying him as a revolutionary figure whose art challenged injustice and reshaped global music culture.
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,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that Fela’s courage, creativity and conviction defined an era and continue to inspire the world, adding that the Afrobeat legend has attained immortality through his cultural impact.
In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal. Fela lives,” the statement read.
Fela was honoured with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards ceremony held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, on the eve of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
With the honour, Fela becomes the first African artist to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, which has been presented since 1963 to music icons including Bing Crosby.
The award recognises performers who have made outstanding artistic contributions to the recording field over their lifetimes.
The late musician, who died in 1997 at the age of 58, was celebrated posthumously for his enduring cultural, political and musical legacy. Other recipients at the ceremony included Chaka Khan, Cher, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon and Whitney Houston, who was also honoured posthumously.
The award was accepted on Fela’s behalf by his children, Femi Kuti, Yeni Kuti and Kunle Kuti, in the presence of family members, friends and leading figures from the global music industry.
During the presentation, Fela was described as a producer, arranger, political radical, outlaw and the father of Afrobeat.
In his acceptance speech, Femi Kuti said, Thank you for bringing our father here. It’s so important for us, it’s so important for Africa, it’s so important for world peace and the struggle.
Yeni Kuti expressed the family’s excitement at the recognition, noting that Fela was never nominated for a Grammy during his lifetime.
The family is happy about it. And we’re excited that he’s finally being recognised, she said, adding that while the honour was “better late than never, there was still a way to go” in fully acknowledging African artists globally.
Seun Kuti also welcomed the recognition, describing it as a symbolic moment.
Fela has been in the hearts of the people for such a long time. Now the Grammys have acknowledged it, and it’s a double victory. It’s bringing balance to a Fela story. The global human tapestry needs this, not just because it’s my father, he said.
Footage from the ceremony showed a large screen bearing Fela’s image alongside highlights of his legacy, including his extensive music catalogue, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical inspired by his life, and global cultural projects celebrating his work.
The presenter declared, The honour is all ours to present the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Fela Kuti.
Fela Kuti
Born Olufela Ransome-Kuti in 1938 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Fela was the son of an Anglican minister and renowned anti-colonial activist, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
He travelled to London in 1958 to study medicine but later switched to music at Trinity College, where his artistic journey began.
In the 1960s, he pioneered Afrobeat alongside drummer Tony Allen, blending West African rhythms, Yoruba music, Ghanaian highlife, jazz, funk and soul, characterised by extended improvisation and politically charged lyrics.
Over three decades, Fela released more than 50 albums with bands including Africa 70 and Egypt 80, and performed regularly at the iconic Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
His music fiercely criticised military rule, corruption, social injustice and imperialism, while promoting pan-Africanism and African-centred socialism.
His 1977 album Zombie condemned military authoritarianism and led to a brutal raid on his Kalakuta Republic commune, during which his mother sustained injuries that later resulted in her death.
Despite repeated arrests and imprisonment, earning him recognition as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, Fela remained defiant.
His funeral in Lagos reportedly drew over one million mourners, reflecting his influence beyond music.
Fela’s legacy continues to resonate globally, inspiring artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, Thom Yorke, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Kendrick Lamar, Kelly Rowland and Idris Elba.
His influence remains evident in modern Afrobeats and in global cultural movements celebrating African musical identity.
The Lifetime Achievement Award follows the 2025 induction of Fela’s 1977 album Zombie into the Grammy Hall of Fame and comes amid growing recognition of African music by the Recording Academy, including the introduction of the Best African Music Performance category in 2024.
