A landmark cultural homecoming has arrived in Lagos as Afrobeat Rebellion, a sweeping exhibition dedicated to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, opens at the Ecobank Pan African Centre. Running from October 12th to December 28th, 2025, the project reframes one of the most influential figures in Nigerian music history through an expansive, multisensory experience that merges archival depth with contemporary creative energy.
Reimagining Fela’s story: the vision behind ‘Afrobeat Rebellion’
The exhibition brings back to Lagos the acclaimed retrospective initially developed by the Philharmonie de Paris, now expanded and reinterpreted by A Whitespace Creative Arts Foundation. Curators describe this edition not as a static tribute, but as a living, evolving encounter with Fela’s ideas—his music as resistance, his philosophy as provocation, and his Lagos as the beating heart of Afrobeat.
Instead of direct testimonies, producers emphasize that Fela is often simplified into anecdotes. With this project, they aim to counter those clichés. Through layered rooms, reconstructed environments, and an archive-led approach, the exhibition positions Fela as a cultural theorist, a political disruptor, and a visionary who shaped global consciousness.
Inside ‘Afrobeat Rebellion’: an immersive journey through Nigerian music history
The exhibition unfolds across multiple rooms that chart Fela’s life from his early years to his defining moments in Lagos, Kalakuta Republic, and the Afrika Shrine. Photography, film, sound installations, and rare personal belongings recreate the textures of his world—its intimacy, defiance, and unrelenting rhythm.
Key artworks and installations
Several key works shape the exhibition’s narrative. At the entrance, a striking digital illustration by Diana Ejaita sets the tone, distilling Fela’s revolutionary energy through vivid portraiture and phrases calling for African unity. Her inclusion of imagery linked to Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti subtly nods to the political roots that shaped his worldview.
A wall of archival posters, some of which date back to the late 1970s, traces the evolution of Nigeria’s cultural landscape and the tensions that persist within it. Rather than viewing these posters as mere artefacts of the past, the curators present them as a living archive, encouraging visitors to actively engage with the history they represent.
One of the exhibition’s most intimate moments comes through Fela’s personal items, including stage costumes and even his undergarments. Initially considered too private to display, these pieces ultimately reveal how he transformed clothing and performance into potent expressions of identity and resistance.
Programming: ‘Afrobeat Rebellion’ as a cultural season
Afrobeat Rebellion unfolds far beyond the gallery walls, functioning more as a three-month cultural season than a traditional exhibition. Organisers describe it as a “living experience” designed to bring together audiences across generations and creative disciplines.
The programme features in-depth conversations about Fela’s musical, political and philosophical impact, with contributions from thinkers, artists and members of the Kuti family. Live performances by artists such as Ezra Collective, Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti, and Made Kuti trace the evolution of Afrobeat while highlighting its contemporary resonance. A six-week film series situates Fela within African and diaspora histories, and book readings contextualise his intellectual legacy.
Afrobeat Rebellion runs from October 12th to December 28th, 2025, at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, Lagos.
Courtesy of ANDREW ESIEBO
Photography by TOLA ODUKOYA
Courtesy of ADRIAN BOOT
Courtesy of ANDREW ESIEBO
