About Felabration

DESCRIPTION:

Felabration is an annual music and arts festival held in Lagos, Nigeria, created in memory of Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist who was a significant figure in African music and the creator of Afrobeat.

Fela Kuti (October 15, 1938 - August 2, 1997) was a successful musician and a political activist, famously outspoken against the Nigerian government and other political authorities. Fela's music was a powerful voice for social justice, and his Afrobeat sound, which fused traditional Yoruba music with jazz, highlife, and funk, has significantly influenced global music.

After Kuti's death, his eldest child Yeni Kuti came up with the idea to celebrate his life and his contributions to Nigerian and African society with a music festival. Felabration was born and held annually (except in 2020-2022 due to COVID-19) at the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, a venue built to replace the original Shrine nightclub that was a hub for Fela's performances.

Felabration occurs annually during the week of Fela Kuti's birthday in mid-October. It attracts visitors from all over the world who come to celebrate Fela's legacy. The festival includes performances by top Nigerian artists and international musicians. The performances are mostly Afrobeat, in homage to Fela, but you'll also hear other genres like hip-hop, R&B, and reggae.

But Felabration is more than just a music festival. It also includes street parades, symposia on social and cultural issues, debates, and art exhibitions promoting Fela's cultural, political, and musical ideals centered around African unity and government accountability.

Over the years, Felabration has grown in size and importance and now includes a Felabration Afrobics Dance Competition and a secondary school debate that stimulates intellectual discourse amongst the youth.

PLEASE NOTE:
Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.