KEY POINTS

• Fela Kuti becomes the first African to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, almost 30 years after his death.

• The award recognises his contributions to Afrobeat and his activism against social injustice and corruption in Nigeria.

• Family and collaborators hope the recognition inspires younger generations to engage with his music, political ideas, and vision for African unity.

Three decades after his passing, Nigerian musician and composer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has made history by becoming the first African to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award was presented posthumously at a ceremony in Los Angeles on the eve of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, recognising his groundbreaking contributions to music and his enduring influence on global culture.

For Fela’s family, the award is both a celebration of his legacy and a long-overdue acknowledgement of his impact. Yeni Kuti, his daughter, who attended the ceremony, expressed pride but also reflected on the lateness of the recognition.

She noted 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. “But Fela played music for the people, not for awards. This is better late than never, though there is still much work to fairly acknowledge African artists globally.”

Renowned Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu, who designed 26 of Fela’s iconic album covers, described the moment as a privilege. He noted the irony that an artist who was famously anti-establishment is now being recognised by one of the most mainstream institutions in music.

“Fela was totally anti-establishment. And now, the establishment is recognising him,” he said. Ghariokwu added that he imagines Fela would have celebrated the recognition, seeing it as a moment of triumph.

Fela:Life not marked by music alone

Fela’s life was marked not only by musical innovation but also by political resistance. Born in Ogun State in 1938 as Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, he initially went to London to study medicine but instead enrolled at Trinity College of Music.

There, he formed a band that blended jazz and highlife. Returning to Nigeria in the 1960s, he developed Afrobeat, a fusion of traditional Yoruba rhythms, jazz, funk, and highlife, which later influenced the modern Afrobeats genre.

Beyond music, Fela was a political radical. He used his songs to challenge military rule, corruption, and social injustice. His Kalakuta Republic, a communal residence and recording studio in Lagos, symbolically rejected state authority. In 1977, his album Zombie criticised the Nigerian military, leading to violent raids on his commune and the death of his mother. Frequent arrests and harassment punctuated his life, yet he emerged as an international symbol of artistic and political resistance.

Fela’s influence continues to resonate across generations. His music has inspired global artists, including Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke, and his style shaped the development of Nigerian Afrobeats. Yeni Kuti, along with her siblings, now manages his legacy through the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos, and by hosting the annual Felabration festival.

Family and collaborators hope the Grammy award will introduce Fela’s music and philosophy to a younger generation. They emphasise his message of African unity and political awareness. Lemi Ghariokwu suggested that young artists should take inspiration from Fela’s courage and creativity. Yeni Kuti added that the award may encourage more young people to engage with his work and think about the progress and unity of Africa.

Fela Kuti died in 1997 at the age of 58. His music, activism, and vision have left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire musicians and political thinkers around the world.