Tinubu Hails Fela’s Historic Grammy Lifetime Honour

President Bola Tinubu has hailed the posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award conferred on Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing the honour as a historic global recognition of one of Africa’s most influential cultural figures.

In a State House statement, the President said the Recording Academy of America’s decision to honour Fela affirms his enduring global impact and the foundational role he played in shaping modern music. Tinubu noted that Fela was not only a musician but also a fearless social critic whose art challenged injustice and gave voice to the struggles of ordinary people.

According to the President, Fela’s courage, creativity and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire artists around the world. He described the late Afrobeat pioneer as a revolutionary force whose sound transcended borders and reshaped how African music is perceived internationally.

Tinubu said Fela’s influence is evident in generations of Nigerian musicians and in the global rise of Afrobeats, stressing that the genre’s worldwide appeal rests partly on the groundwork laid by the late icon. He added that the Grammy recognition places Fela in a special category of artists whose work permanently altered the direction of global music.

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The President also reflected on the symbolic significance of the award, noting that Fela becomes the first African to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement distinction, albeit posthumously. He said the honour reinforces Africa’s contribution to world culture and highlights the continent’s creative power.

Describing Fela as a philosopher of freedom and a cultural revolutionary, Tinubu said the artist’s legacy goes beyond entertainment. He credited Fela with using music as a tool for social consciousness, political expression and cultural pride, qualities that cemented his status as a global symbol of resistance and authenticity.

The statement further referenced Yoruba cultural beliefs, suggesting that Fela has transcended into an eternal realm through his works and impact. Tinubu said the legend’s spirit lives on through his music, message and the countless artists he inspired.

“Fela lives,” the President declared, emphasizing that the Grammy recognition is not just a tribute to the past but a celebration of a legacy that continues to shape the present and future of African music.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who died in 1997, is widely regarded as the creator of Afrobeat, a genre that blends jazz, highlife, funk and traditional African rhythms. Nearly three decades after his death, his music remains a powerful symbol of artistic freedom and social commentary, with global audiences still discovering and celebrating his work.