By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has described the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, as a towering symbol of resistance whose greatness transcended music and entertainment.
In a tribute reflecting on Fela’s enduring legacy released on his X handle Wednesday, Sani said the iconic musician was not merely an artist but a fearless crusader against oppression and injustice in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to him, Fela’s influence was rooted in courage, sacrifice and an unwavering commitment to principle.
“The greatness of Fela is beyond music and entertainment. He was a symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice,” Sani said.
He recalled that the Afrobeat pioneer endured severe state repression in the course of his activism, including imprisonment, physical torture and repeated threats to his life. Despite these ordeals, Sani noted, Fela remained unbroken and steadfast in defending his beliefs.
“Fela survived imprisonment, torture and death in the pursuit and defence of his principles,” he stated.
Sani further argued that the freedoms and liberties enjoyed by later generations did not come cheaply, but were built on the sacrifices of figures like Fela, who dared to challenge authoritarianism when it was most dangerous to do so.
“He planted the seeds of freedom enjoyed by the generations after him,” he said.
Emphasising Fela’s uniqueness, the former lawmaker insisted that no other artist, past or present, could be placed in the same category. “He is incomparable with any artist living or dead,” Sani declared.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who died in 1997, remains one of Africa’s most influential cultural and political figures, remembered as much for his fearless activism as for his revolutionary sound.
Decades after his death, his music and message continue to inspire movements for justice, freedom and accountability across the continent and beyond.
