Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has recalled attending the shrine of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in Lagos in the 1980s alongside the current National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

AbdulRazaq shared the memories while declaring open an exhibition titled Fela Anikulapo-Kuti: A Retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary African Art and Film (ICAAF) in Ilorin.

The exhibition, organised jointly by the Kwara State Government and Fela’s family, celebrates the late musician’s life, music and enduring influence.

Recounting his experience as an Afrobeat enthusiast, the governor said he had visited Fela’s shrine since the 1980s and admired the musician’s intelligence, activism and ideas.

“In the late 80s, I used to go to the shrine with several notable people now, including the present NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, as well as our friends who were in the military then.

“We used to attend the shrine then because Fela is highly intelligent. It was during Fela’s Zombie album,” he said.

AbdulRazaq added that a former Inspector-General of Police from Katsina State, whose name he declined to disclose, also attended the shrine.

The governor said he visited not only for entertainment but also because of Fela’s advocacy for African identity and the black race.

He described the musician as more than an entertainer, saying his music challenged established conventions and raised questions about power, freedom, identity and justice.

“Fela’s legacy demonstrated the power of art to preserve collective memory, challenge established ideas, inspire courage and contribute to social change,” he said.

AbdulRazaq stressed that cultural development was as important as physical infrastructure, arguing that investment in arts and heritage could preserve history, nurture talent and create economic opportunities for young people.

He said establishing ICAAF reflected his administration’s commitment to expanding development beyond roads, bridges and buildings to include spaces that promote creativity, knowledge and opportunity.

“While physical infrastructure connects places, cultural infrastructure connects people to their history, broadens their imagination and encourages critical thinking,” he said.

The governor explained that the institute was established to preserve African stories, nurture creative talent and showcase the continent’s artists and thinkers to a wider audience.

He said the exhibition, organised by June Creative Art Advisory (JCAA) and Mrs Seun Alli, featured photography, archival materials, film, graphic works and other artistic expressions exploring Fela’s life and influence.

AbdulRazaq clarified that the state government was not seeking to claim ownership of Fela’s story but to provide a platform for younger generations to encounter and learn from his legacy.

He expressed hope that the exhibition would mark the beginning of sustained cultural engagement at ICAAF and inspire young people to create, question, discover and contribute meaningfully to society.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, said the exhibition offered an opportunity to revisit Fela’s life and work and examine how his music, ideas and artistic expression continued to influence successive generations.

“For the Ministry of Communications, this occasion speaks to an important part of our mandate: promoting the stories, talents and creative expressions that shape our identity as a people,” she said.

Olukoju said the state was creating opportunities for young people through investments in film, fashion and technology.

She cited projects such as the Sugar Film Factory, the Garment Factory and the Ilorin Innovation Hub as examples of the administration’s efforts to develop talent and support enterprise.

The commissioner urged young people in Kwara interested in painting, photography, filmmaking, fashion and design to use ICAAF as a platform to explore their interests, learn from others and showcase their work. (Thd Nation)