President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has joined millions of fans and global music stakeholders in celebrating late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, following his historic Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recognition.
Fela was posthumously honoured nearly three decades after his death at the age of 58, becoming the first African artist to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy. The honour highlights his global influence and the lasting impact of Afrobeat music on the world stage.
Taking to his social media pages on Sunday, February 1, 2026, President Tinubu described Fela as more than just a musician. He noted that the Afrobeat pioneer was a fearless voice for the people, a symbol of freedom, and a revolutionary figure who used music to challenge injustice and oppression.
The President further stated that Fela’s courage, creativity, and conviction shaped a generation and continue to inspire people globally. He added that the Grammy recognition affirms Fela’s enduring global relevance and his foundational role in shaping modern African music and influencing generations of Nigerian and international artistes.
Tinubu also emphasized that Fela defined Afrobeat as a genre, noting that his musical and cultural influence can still be heard across modern Afrobeats and global sounds today. He concluded his tribute with the phrase, “Fela lives,” highlighting the timeless nature of the legend’s legacy.
Reports indicate that members of the Kuti family received the award on his behalf at the 2026 Special Merit Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, marking a historic moment for African music on the global stage.
Fela, who released more than 50 albums during his lifetime, was widely known for blending traditional African sounds with jazz, funk, and politically conscious lyrics, making him one of the most influential cultural figures in modern African history.
Tinubu wrote, “FELA LIVES: FELA’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
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.
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.
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.
He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians and in Afrobeats and beyond.
Fela lives.
Asiwaju President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
See his post below;
