Keypoints:
- Lagos hosts landmark ‘Afrobeat Rebellion’ show
- Exhibition celebrates Fela’s music and activism
- Lagos State gives posthumous recognition
THE unmistakable spirit of Fela Anikulapo Kuti — the revolutionary musician, activist, and self-styled ‘Black President’ — has returned to Lagos, Nigeria’s cultural capital. Twenty-eight years after his death, the city is hosting a landmark exhibition that celebrates his life, music and political legacy.
Titled Afrobeat Rebellion, the exhibition opens on Monday at the Alliance Française in Lagos, marking the first time such a comprehensive showcase of Fela’s life has been held in his homeland. It builds upon a similar event staged in Paris in 2022 and coincides with the annual Felabration festival, a week-long celebration of the Afrobeat pioneer held every October.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the French Embassy and the Kuti family, supported by Lagos State — a symbolic gesture of posthumous recognition for the musician who, during his lifetime, clashed repeatedly with Nigerian authorities over issues of corruption and military repression.
‘To have it here at home feels special’
Nigerian architect and co-curator Papa Omotayo, who helped organise the Lagos edition, described the experience as deeply personal.
‘The Paris exhibition was outstanding, but to have it here at home feels so special,’ Omotayo said during Sunday’s preview. ‘We were also able to bring together more local artefacts and archives that tell Fela’s story through the eyes of Nigerians who knew him best.’
Designed as an immersive, multi-sensory experience, Afrobeat Rebellion takes visitors on a journey through the spaces and scenes that defined Fela’s extraordinary life — from his famous Kalakuta Republic commune to the legendary Afrika Shrine venue. The show features rare photographs, multimedia installations, personal objects, and of course, a pulsating Afrobeat soundtrack that animates the story.
The birth of a global sound
In the 1970s, Fela Kuti created Afrobeat — a bold fusion of jazz, funk, and traditional African rhythms that became both a musical and political weapon. Through his lyrics and live performances, he challenged authoritarianism, championed Pan-Africanism, and gave voice to the oppressed.
Over the decades, his creation evolved into Afrobeats (with an ‘s’), a global phenomenon embraced by artists like Davido, Burna Boy, Tems and Rema — Nigerian stars who now fill stadiums across the world. Yet, for all its global acclaim, many believe the core of Fela’s message — political resistance, liberation, and social justice — remains as relevant as ever.
‘He wasn’t one-dimensional, he wasn’t perfect in any way,’ Omotayo reflected. ‘This exhibition really delves deep into the many sides of his character — the activist, the philosopher, the artist, the rebel.’
From rebellion to recognition
For much of his life, Fela stood in open defiance of Nigeria’s ruling elite. His sharp criticism of military regimes led to repeated arrests, beatings, and the infamous 1978 raid on his home, during which soldiers burned the property and threw his mother, the pioneering feminist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, from a window.
Despite decades of state hostility, Lagos State has now endorsed the exhibition — a gesture seen by many as long-overdue acknowledgment of his impact on Nigeria’s cultural and political identity.
‘Fela is revered abroad like a saint,’ said Mabinuori Kayode Idowu, a close friend of the musician. ‘But at home, the government has not always valued his contributions. This support means a lot.’
‘Like seeing history come alive’
Visitors to the opening night described the exhibition as both emotional and educational.
‘I didn’t know that Wole Soyinka was related to Fela on his grandmother’s side,’ said Chidimma Nwankwo, founder of a cultural tourism organisation. ‘It’s like seeing history come alive.’
Film director Ibrahim Olamilekan called it ‘a celebration of the brain of this selfless man,’ while others praised it for inspiring reflection on Nigeria’s present challenges.
A message for a new generation
For Fela’s daughter Yeni Kuti, who runs the New Afrika Shrine in his memory, the Lagos exhibition is about ensuring that younger Nigerians — many of whom were born after his death — understand his influence.
‘Work hard, be resilient, and you will be remembered after you die,’ Yeni said. ‘It’s not military rule anymore, but we still have a lot to do to make Nigeria the Nigeria of Fela’s dreams.’
With more than 60 percent of Nigerians still living in poverty, her words echo her father’s lifelong struggle for equality and justice.
‘My hope,’ added Idowu, ‘is that this exhibition helps young people see what Fela was really about — and inspires them to do great things, just like he did.’
