Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, the trailblazing Nigerian musician known for inventing Afrobeat—a genre that blends West African rhythms with jazz and funk—was not just a musical innovator but also a passionate political activist. His 1976 album Zombie, featuring the title track of the same name, sharply criticized the Nigerian military’s unquestioning obedience to orders following the 1966 coup.
The album’s critical and commercial success had dire consequences. In 1977, the Nigerian military launched a violent assault on Kuti’s Kalakuta Republic commune, which he had established as a sanctuary for artistic and political freedom. The raid resulted in Kuti being brutally beaten, his mother being murdered, and the commune being set ablaze.
Kuti’s ongoing confrontations with the Nigerian government culminated in a dramatic turn on September 4, 1984. Under Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, he was arrested on charges of attempting to illegally export foreign currency from his British bank account. Sentenced to five years in prison that November, Kuti’s detention sparked an international outcry. Renowned musicians such as Herbie Hancock, David Byrne, Ginger Baker, and Little Steven rallied for his release, while Amnesty International included his case in their campaign for prisoners of conscience, accusing the Nigerian government of an unjust trial where key witnesses were barred, and Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, Chief of Staff, was reportedly intent on seeing Kuti “rot in jail.”
After nearly two years of intense global advocacy and pressure, Kuti was granted an unconditional release on April 24, 1986. He revealed the dire conditions of his imprisonment, where “people were dying every day,” but noted that his fame afforded him some favorable treatment from understanding guards who sympathized with his cause.
Following his release, Kuti divorced his 12 wives, returned to performing with his band, Egypt 80, and continued his outspoken advocacy for peace, Pan-Africanism, and support for the American Black Power movement, solidifying his legacy as a fearless and influential figure in both music and political activism.
