President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, following his posthumous recognition with the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, popularly known as the Grammy Awards.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also joined in celebrating the honour, describing it as a well-deserved recognition for an enduring global icon whose influence remains timeless.
In a personal tribute issued on Tuesday in Abuja, President Tinubu described the late musician as a towering figure whose impact transcended music, culture and generations, declaring that the world had finally honoured “a giant.”
“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,” the President said.
According to Tinubu, Fela’s courage, creativity and conviction defined an era and continue to inspire millions around the world. Drawing from Yoruba mythology, the President said the Afrobeat icon had transcended into a higher spiritual realm and become eternal.
He noted that the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award marked a historic milestone, as Fela became the first African to receive the prestigious honour, albeit posthumously.
The President added that the recognition reaffirmed Fela’s enduring global influence and the foundational role he played in shaping African music and projecting it onto the world stage.
“Fela defined Afrobeat as a genre, and his influence remains evident across generations of Nigerian musicians, contemporary Afrobeats and global music beyond Africa,” Tinubu said, adding emphatically, “Fela lives.”
The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred on performers who, during their lifetimes, made outstanding artistic contributions to the field of recording, placing Fela Anikulapo-Kuti among an elite group of global music legends.
Also reacting, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described Fela as unforgettable, iconic and irrepressible, noting that the musician’s influence continues to resonate decades after his death.
Referring to him by his famed moniker, Abami Eda, Atiku said the Afrobeat legend “lives on” through his music, message and fearless spirit.
He described the Grammy recognition as a fitting tribute to a trailblazer whose art transcended entertainment and became a powerful weapon against oppression and injustice.
According to Atiku, the honour has further cemented Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s status as one of Africa’s most influential cultural figures and a permanent force in global music history.
