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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has celebrated the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti as a “fearless voice of the people” and an eternal figure in Yoruba mythology, following the music legend’s posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy of America.
In a State House statement titled “FELA LIVES: PRESIDENT TINUBU ON FELA’S GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD,” Tinubu described Fela as more than a musician: “a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound.”
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The President noted that Fela’s “courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire the world.” He added, “In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal.”
Fela becomes the first African to receive this prestigious honour, which Tinubu called “an affirmation of his enduring global influence and the foundational role he has played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music.”
Tinubu highlighted Fela’s pioneering role in defining Afrobeat, stating, “He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and beyond.”
