Felabration: The Afrobeats Music Festival at the Afrika Shrine

The annual music festival bringing together global Afrobeat stars in tribute to Fela Kuti.

• Event Date: Annually in October, around Fela Kuti's birthday (October 15)
• Venue Location: New Afrika Shrine, Ikeja
• Ticket Information: Free street activities; ticketed concert nights inside the venue

Origins: A Family Tribute That Became an Institution

Felabration was conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, Fela Kuti's eldest daughter, with the aim of keeping alive the musical and political legacy of the Afrobeat pioneer, who had died the previous year. The festival is held every year in October, around Fela Kuti's birthday on October 15, at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, a venue built to replace the original Afrika Shrine founded by Fela in 1970 and destroyed by fire in 1977. Today, the event is co-led by Femi Kuti and Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti, the musician's children, who oversee both the artistic lineup and the activist spirit inherited from their father.

Program and Official Recognition

Over a full week, Felabration features concerts by Nigerian and international Afrobeat artists, street parades, symposia on social and political issues close to Fela Kuti's causes, and photo exhibitions tracing his life. The event has since been recognized as an official tourist destination by the Lagos State Government, cementing its place alongside Art X Lagos and Lagos Fashion Week in the city's cultural calendar. The New Afrika Shrine remains an active venue year-round, with regular weekly concerts, but it is during Felabration that the site regains the intensity and rebellious spirit that made the original Shrine famous during Fela Kuti's lifetime.

The 2025 Edition: Twenty-Five Years Under the Theme "Shakara"

The 2025 edition, held from October 13 to 19, marked Felabration's twenty-fifth anniversary under the theme "Shakara," a Yoruba term popularized by Fela Kuti evoking the confidence, brashness, and creative energy that defined his legacy. The lineup brought together Femi Kuti, Made Kuti, Bright Chimezie, Reminisce, Terry Apala, Berri Tega, and Kashcoming, blending generations of Afrobeat artists with guests from other Nigerian musical genres, in front of thousands of festivalgoers gathered at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja.

A Reach Beyond Nigeria's Borders

Over the years, Felabration has spread well beyond Lagos, with satellite celebrations held in several cities around the world, including in the United Kingdom, where dedicated events take place in Hull, among other locations. This international expansion reflects the universal reach of Fela Kuti's musical and political legacy, whose influence extends far beyond Nigeria to touch African diaspora communities and Afrobeat fans worldwide.