President Bola Tinubu has declared that the world of music has honoured a giant, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on the legendary afrobeat originator.
The president stated in a State House statement he personally e-signed, on Sunday, that the maverick Abami Eda was more than a musician, describing the late musician as a fearless voice of the people.
Tinubu further described him as a philosopher of freedom and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound.
“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.
“His courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire the world. In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal,” he wrote.
The president also affirmed that the late Fela has blazed the trail with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African to receive the honour, though posthumously.
“The [Grammy] 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.
“He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and beyond.
“Fela lives,” President Bola Tinubu added in the statement.
