Designed as an immersive journey through Fela’s life, music, and radical politics, the exhibition layers archival objects, photography, soundscapes, and media installations that reconstruct iconic spaces from Kalakuta Republic to the Afrika Shrine.
By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro
Lagos is set to host its most ambitious celebration of Fela Anikulapo Kuti yet, as Afrobeat Rebellion opens at the Ecobank Pan African Centre on Sunday, 12 October 2025. The immersive exhibition, which first captivated audiences in Paris, returns home in an expanded format that merges art, performance, film, and community programming.
Originally developed by the Philharmonie de Paris, the Lagos edition has been reimagined by A Whitespace Creative Arts (AWCA) Foundation, with support from the French Embassy in Nigeria and the Kuti family.
“Our father’s legacy has travelled the world, but Lagos was always its heartbeat,” the Kuti family said. “Afrobeat Rebellion brings things unseen—his music and everything Fela stood for—to his people in Lagos. Not just to remember Fela, but to inspire a new generation to use art as resistance and freedom.”
Designed as an immersive journey through Fela’s life, music, and radical politics, the exhibition layers archival objects, photography, soundscapes, and media installations that reconstruct iconic spaces from Kalakuta Republic to the Afrika Shrine. It also features an interactive global map of influence and a weekly calendar of “Legacy Programmes”, including talks, live music, studio sessions, film screenings, and children’s workshops.
The Lagos edition marks a significant milestone in the history of Fela exhibitions, combining the curatorial depth of an internationally acclaimed European retrospective with the authenticity of a Nigerian reimagining. Running for 12 weeks, it positions Lagos firmly at the centre of Afrobeat’s global story.
First staged at the Philharmonie de Paris in 2022, the show was praised as “a revolutionary tribute” by Euronews, “an echo of Fela’s unrelenting voice against oppression” by Radio France, and “a reminder that his Afrobeat remains as urgent as ever” by Slate.
“Supporting Afrobeat Rebellion in Lagos reflects our belief that culture is a bridge,” said Laurent Favier, Consul General of France in Lagos. “It is a celebration of Franco-Nigerian collaboration and a cultural gift, honouring Fela’s legacy—who was deeply appreciated in France—while deepening the dialogue between our two nations.”
The choice of Lagos is deliberate. The city is the birthplace of Afrobeat, the site of Kalakuta Republic, the Afrika Shrine, and the streets that forged Fela’s uncompromising sound. For many, the exhibition represents a homecoming.
“Too often, Fela is reduced to a handful of catchphrases and uninformed stories: “Zombie”, “Water No Get Enemy”, the Kalakuta fire, or even the unfounded claim that he performed in his underwear”, said Seun Alli, curator of the exhibition and founder of JCAA. “Afrobeat Rebellion is a deliberate refusal of this flattening. It repositions Fela not merely as a musician or rebel, but as a public intellectual whose music and philosophy were deeply tied to Africa’s political and intellectual histories.”
Exhibition Highlights
- Dates & Venue: 12 October–28 December 2025, Ecobank Pan African Centre, Lagos. Open Fri–Sun (10:00–18:00); VIP/Institutional Thursdays. Admission is free, with RSVP required. Ticketing via Luma.
- Opening Night: 12 October, featuring performances by Ezra Collective and Seun Kuti.
- The Exhibition: Multi-room showcase spanning Fela’s early years, Lagos life, Kalakuta Republic, Afrika Shrine, global influence, and touring life.
- Legacy Programmes: Weekly live music, panel discussions, Kalakuta Cinema, studio sessions, workshops, and Young Rebels’ Corner (ages 6–15).
“For us, Afrobeat Rebellion is more than an exhibition. It is a living season of culture,” said Onoshiokhue Ako, project lead and culture producer at AWCA. “We designed it to bridge generations—from the children creating in the Young Rebels’ Corner to the elders who remember Fela firsthand. Lagos deserves nothing less than a homecoming of this magnitude.”