By Barth Ikiebe, with contributions from Naija Standard Newspaper (USA)
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The modest London flat that once housed Nigeria’s legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is fast becoming a musical Mecca, drawing visitors from around the world to 12 Stanlake Road, Shepherd’s Bush, W12 7HP.
Long before he became Africa’s most outspoken musical revolutionary, Fela walked the streets of London as a student at Trinity College of Music in 1958. It was in this very house that the seeds of his radical, genre-defining sound were sown.
Nearly three decades after his death in 1997, Fela’s influence refuses to fade. Tourists, fans, and culture enthusiasts continue to flock to the Shepherd’s Bush address, hoping to connect with the spirit of the man who turned music into a weapon for social change.
Known for his electric performances, biting political commentary, and a sound that married highlife, jazz, funk, and traditional rhythms, Fela was more than just a musician,he was a movement. International media once described him as “Africa’s most charismatic and defiant music performer.”
He married his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor, in 1960 and fathered three children. After returning to newly independent Nigeria in 1963, Fela continued to push boundaries,both musically and politically. He even made a daring attempt to run for president.
In 1971, Fela was back in London to record Fela’s London Scene at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, a turning point that many regard as the start of his most influential era. But his outspokenness came at a cost ,in 1984, the Nigerian government imprisoned him for 20 months.
In 2021, the city of London paid tribute to his enduring legacy with a blue plaque installed on the Shepherd’s Bush residence. Today, the site stands not just as a house, but as a symbol,a historic shrine where Afrobeat was born and where Fela’s revolutionary spirit continues to echo.
For fans of music, culture, and political resistance, a stop at 12 Stanlake Road is not just tourism,it’s a pilgrimage.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
