President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hailed the posthumous conferment of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti as a landmark recognition of African musical excellence and cultural influence.

In a personally signed statement issued today, the President described the honour bestowed by the Recording Academy during the Special Merit Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles on January 31 as a historic first for an African artist.

“The world of music has honoured a giant: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,” President Tinubu declared. “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 the global sound.

“The award, presented alongside other legends including Whitney Houston, Cher, Chaka Khan, Carlos Santana, and Paul Simon, marks the first time an African musician has received this prestigious Lifetime Achievement honour.

Fela’s family, including children Yeni, Kunle, Shalewa, and Femi Kuti, accepted the award on his behalf.President Tinubu emphasized Fela’s enduring legacy, noting that his courage, creativity, and conviction not only defined a generation but continue to inspire artists, activists, and audiences worldwide.

Invoking Yoruba cultural reverence, he added: “In Yoruba mythology, he has transcended to a higher plane as an Orisa. He is now eternal.

“The President highlighted Fela’s creation of Afrobeat a powerful fusion of African rhythms, jazz, funk, and highlife infused with sharp social and political commentary and its profound impact on contemporary music.

“He defined Afrobeat, and you can hear and see his influence in generations of Nigerian musicians, in the global rise of Afrobeats, and far beyond,” Tinubu stated.

He described the Grammy recognition as “an affirmation of his enduring global influence and the foundational role he has played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music.”

This latest honour builds on prior accolades, including the 2025 induction of Fela’s seminal 1976 album Zombie into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Nearly three decades after his death in 1997, Fela’s music and activism remain a symbol of resistance and cultural pride. President Tinubu’s tribute underscores national pride in the icon’s global validation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after concluding a successful state visit to Türkiye, where he held high-level talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and signed multiple bilateral agreements.

The President arrived in Abuja on Saturday evening, January 31, 2026, around 8:30–8:55 p.m. local time, following his departure from Türkiye.

Tinubu departed Abuja on Monday, January 26, 2026, for the state visit to Ankara, Türkiye’s capital.

The trip focused on strengthening Nigeria-Türkiye relations in areas including trade, defense, security, energy, education, media, and technical cooperation.

Key highlights included the signing of nine Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), aimed at boosting economic ties, defense collaboration (including potential training for Nigerian Special Forces), and a targeted increase in bilateral trade volume. Both leaders described the engagements as ushering in a “new era” of strategic partnership.

The visit drew public attention, including an incident during the official welcome ceremony in Ankara where President Tinubu briefly stumbled but continued without issue, with aides confirming he was in good health.

Upon his return, focus now shifts to implementing the signed agreements, including the activation of joint committees on trade and other sectors.

The Presidency has emphasized the visit’s role in advancing Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic interests on the global stage.

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Exactly sixty years after his tragic assassination during Nigeria’s first military coup, the legacy of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola former Premier of the Western Region and the 13th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland continues to resonate as “the thunder of history,” a powerful symbol of courage, pragmatism, and unyielding leadership.

On January 15, 2026, marking the 60th remembrance of Akintola’s death on January 15, 1966, tributes poured in from across Nigeria, with events held in Ibadan and Ogbomosho emphasizing his enduring impact on the nation’s political evolution.

Chief Akintola, born on July 6, 1910, in Ogbomosho, was a multifaceted figure: lawyer, journalist, orator, nationalist, Baptist lay preacher, and conservative Yoruba leader who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria.

Akintola served as Premier of the Western Region from October 1960 until his assassination in the January 15, 1966 coup that ended the First Republic. His tenure was marked by intense political rivalries, particularly his fallout with Chief Obafemi Awolowo over ideological differences Akintola’s pragmatic, business-oriented approach clashed with Awolowo’s democratic socialism.

The crisis led to a state of emergency in the region, Akintola’s brief removal and restoration to power, and the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in alliance with the Northern People’s Congress.

Despite controversies surrounding the 1965 elections, which many historians cite as a catalyst for the coup, supporters portray Akintola as a realist who prioritized regional development, infrastructure, and confronting realities head-on rather than ideological purity.

“He believed that leadership must confront reality as it is, not as it ought to be,” noted commentators during the remembrance.

The Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Foundation organized commemorative activities, providing a platform to honor his contributions and re-examine his role in Nigeria’s political history.

Prominent voices, including former Information Minister Sunday Dare, described the gathering in Ibadan as one of gratitude rather than mourning: “Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola did not live too long but he lived well and looms large. He did not die in silence he entered eternity in the thunder of history.

“Born into a family of traders and warriors, Akintola’s early life included education in Minna and Ogbomosho, teaching at Baptist institutions, and further studies in public administration and law in England. He returned to Nigeria in 1950, serving in various federal roles before becoming deputy leader of the Action Group and eventually Premier.

His assassination at age 55 in Ibadan remains a pivotal moment in Nigerian history, symbolizing the fragility of the young republic. Today, as Nigeria grapples with contemporary leadership challenges, reflections on Akintola’s life highlight lessons in pragmatism, sacrifice, and the burdens of power.

Stakeholders continue to call for the preservation of his legacy, including calls to restore his once-grand residence, now in disrepair, as a historical site.

Sixty years on, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola remains a towering, if complex, figure whose thunder still echoes through Nigeria’s political landscape.