Afrobeat Icon Urges Youths to Stay, Rebuild Nigeria

Nigeria’s Afrobeat icon, Femi Kuti has urged youths to remain in the country and contribute to rebuilding the nation rather than seeking opportunities abroad.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos ahead of the exhibition “Fela Anikulapo-Kuti: Afrobeat Rebellion” scheduled to run from October 12 to December 28, Kuti decried the rising trend of mass emigration, popularly known as “Japa,” among skilled professionals.

He warned that abandoning the country to build others would undermine Nigeria’s future.

“If all the doctors, engineers, and people of influence leave because their country is in bad shape, who is going to make Nigeria better then?” he asked.

Kuti called on the younger generation to embrace the patriotic spirit of his father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, stressing that “only the youths can chart a better course for themselves and their children.”

The press briefing also highlighted the forthcoming exhibition, which will celebrate Fela’s legacy through archives, music, cinema, talks, workshops, and fashion.

The show, which attracted over 60,000 visitors during a one-month run in Paris in 2022, promises an even deeper experience with direct involvement from the Kuti family.

The event enjoys international and corporate support, with the French Consul-General, Laurent Favier, describing it as ‘a reflection of France’s long-standing cultural partnership with Nigeria’. Ecobank, the host partner, also reaffirmed its commitment to celebrating Africa’s creative resilience.

Organised by the Whitespace Creative Arts Foundation with support from the French Embassy, the Kuti family, and Ecobank, the 10-week cultural programme seeks to reposition Fela as a public intellectual whose music and philosophy challenged oppression and inspired hope across Africa and beyond.