Afrobeats Pilgrimage: Kalakuta Museum and New Afrika Shrine

An Afrobeat Pilgrimage: Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine

For music lovers, a visit to the Kalakuta Museum in Ikeja (Fela Kuti's former home) and a night out at the New Afrika Shrine in Agidingbi are essential Lagos experiences.

Kalakuta Museum: Fela Kuti's House-Museum

The Kalakuta Museum, housed in Fela Anikulapo Kuti's former residence in Ikeja, traces the life and work of Afrobeat's founder through his musical instruments, stage costumes, original vinyl records, and personal belongings preserved in their original state. The house takes its name from the "Kalakuta Republic," which Fela Kuti declared self-independent from the Nigerian state in the 1970s, an act of political defiance that led to several violent military raids and embodies the spirit of resistance associated with his music.

The New Afrika Shrine: A Living Temple of Afrobeat

The New Afrika Shrine, located in Agidingbi near Ikeja, was rebuilt after fire destroyed the original Shrine and today carries on the spirit of the club Fela Kuti founded as a venue for concerts, social critique, and musical communion. Run by the Kuti family, notably his son Femi Kuti, the venue hosts weekly concerts as well as the annual Felabration festival, celebrating Fela Kuti's birthday and drawing visitors from around the world to experience Afrobeat in its original setting.

A Cultural Circuit Worth Combining

iLagosCity recommends visiting the Kalakuta Museum during the day to take advantage of detailed guided tours covering Fela Kuti's history, then booking an evening at the New Afrika Shrine to catch a live show, since the venue's nighttime energy is a world apart from the calm museum atmosphere of the house. Together, they offer a full immersion into the musical and political legacy of one of the most influential figures in African history.

A Legacy That Still Resonates

Fela Kuti's influence reaches well beyond music: his fight against corruption and military regimes made him as much a political figure as an artistic one, and he is still regularly invoked in current Nigerian public debate. That political dimension remains palpable during a visit to the Kalakuta Museum, where guides often walk through the most striking episodes of his confrontations with the authorities of his time.