Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, has formally acknowledged and paid tribute to the late Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, characterizing him as a musical genius and revolutionary artist whose creative works effectively integrated artistic expression with political activism and social commentary.
In an official statement released via his verified social media platform on Wednesday, Mr. Obama encouraged members of the public to engage with a newly released podcast series titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man,” produced under Higher Ground Productions, an audio-visual company owned by Barack and Michelle Obama.
According to the former President, the 12-episode documentary podcast seeks to commemorate and chronicle the life, influence, and enduring global legacy of Fela Kuti, who was credited with the creation of the Afrobeat genre — a fusion of funk, jazz, and soul that became a vehicle for socio-political advocacy.
In Mr. Obama’s words:
“He is a musical genius from Nigeria who made some music that I really love, combining funk, jazz, and soul into a whole new genre called Afrobeat. It’s a beautiful show about a unique figure in musical history who mixed art with activism.”
The podcast, now in its fourth episode, examines Fela Kuti’s evolution from his formative years in Nigeria to his transformative experiences in Los Angeles in 1969, where exposure to civil rights movements catalyzed his development into a Pan-Africanist and political freedom advocate.
Mr. Obama, who appears as one of the featured commentators in the series, further observed that Fela’s music possessed the rare ability to “move hearts, change minds, and heal the deepest wounds,” describing it as emblematic of art’s highest purpose in advancing social consciousness.
The producers of Fear No Man stated that the documentary draws from over 200 interviews with members of Fela’s family, close associates, and international figures in music and activism, including Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Santigold, and Yeni, Femi, and Mádé Kuti.
The series, according to its creators, aims to explore “the transformative power of art and the indispensable role of artists in shaping global discourse during periods of unrest.”#newsafro_
