Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and former presidential candidate, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he describes as hypocrisy regarding the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Starnews NG reports that Sowore’s remarks came in a Facebook post today, shortly after President Tinubu issued an official statement celebrating Fela’s posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
In his statement, President Tinubu hailed Fela as “a fearless voice of the people” and a revolutionary force whose music “confronted injustice and reshaped global sound.” The President acknowledged Fela’s legacy, noting that he “defined Afrobeat” and continues to inspire generations of musicians.
However, Sowore countered this praise, asserting that if Fela were alive today, he would likely have clashed with the current political powers, particularly Tinubu. Sowore wrote, “If Fela Anikulapo-Kuti were still alive, he would almost certainly have clashed with today’s political power. After publicly calling Tinubu a criminal, he would likely have been arrested, with the DSS charging him with cybercrime offences.”
Sowore further elaborated on the potential consequences Fela might have faced for his activism, stating, “His outspoken condemnation of the demolition of poor people’s homes would have drawn further retaliation, possibly leading the Nigeria Police Force to tear-gas his shrine, just as they once did in response to his protests.”
He concluded with a sharp critique of the current political climate, suggesting that “Lagos thugs would have been unleashed to disrupt and attack his shows, punishing him for what would be labeled disrespect toward Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Sowore’s comments highlight the ongoing tensions between the government and activists in Nigeria and raise questions about the political environment that Fela Kuti would have faced had he lived to see the present day.
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