Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his recent tribute to late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, describing the praise as hypocritical and disconnected from present-day political realities in Nigeria. Sowore argued that the very qualities for which Fela is being celebrated today would have attracted state repression if the iconic musician were alive under the current administration.
Okay News reports that the criticism followed a statement by the Presidency celebrating Fela’s recognition by the United States Recording Academy, which recently awarded him a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In the tribute, President Tinubu described Fela as a fearless cultural force, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary voice whose music challenged injustice and reshaped Africa’s global image. The President also credited Fela as a foundational influence on the global success of contemporary Afrobeats.
However, Sowore rejected the tribute, insisting that Fela’s radical activism and unfiltered criticism of power would not be tolerated in today’s Nigeria. He maintained that the late musician’s outspoken nature would likely have landed him in constant conflict with security agencies, including arrests and prosecutions under laws such as the Cybercrime Act. According to Sowore, branding political leaders as corrupt — a recurring theme in Fela’s music — would today be treated as a criminal offense.
The activist further argued that Fela’s advocacy for the poor and his opposition to state violence would have provoked severe retaliation. He suggested that public condemnation of forced demolitions and protests would have attracted police crackdowns, including the use of tear gas and the disruption of performances at the Afrika Shrine. Sowore likened this hypothetical response to past eras of military repression that Fela openly resisted.
Concluding his criticism, Sowore said even international recognition would not shield Fela from restrictions. He speculated that, were Fela alive and invited to receive the Grammy award in person, authorities might have prevented him from traveling by confiscating his passport. Sowore argued that such realities undermine the spirit of freedom and resistance the President claimed to honour, insisting that celebrating Fela’s legacy without protecting dissent amounts to empty symbolism.
