Singer Oxlade received praise for his performance at the annual Felabration music festival in Lagos, Nigeria. The festival is held to celebrate the late afrobeat icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and coincides with his birthday on October 15. Oxlade energized the audience with his hit tracks and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to perform at such an important event. He also acknowledged the influence of Fela and the importance of afrobeat in the Nigerian music industry. Other artists also paid tribute to Fela’s music and activism during the festival.
Ikuforiji Abdulrahman, also known as Oxlade, gained widespread admiration as he performed at the ongoing ‘Felabration’ music and cultural festival. The festival is held annually at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos State to celebrate the legendary afrobeat icon, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. It takes place from October 9 to 15, 2023, coinciding with Fela’s birthday on October 15, 1938.
Oxlade set the stage at the opening night of the festival with his captivating and energetic performance. He delighted the audience with his popular tracks including ‘Away’, ‘O2’, ‘Ojuju’, ‘Kulosa’, and ‘Myself’, getting a significant portion of the crowd on their feet.
Expressing his gratitude for performing at the event, Oxlade said, “I feel privileged to be able to perform here tonight, especially in honor of the legendary Fela. I am grateful and blessed. This means a lot to my career, and I am happy to have the opportunity to do this at this stage of my life.
“All music is African music; nothing takes away from it. There has to be growth in life, and afrobeat has also evolved. We, as younger artists, owe our roots and success to afrobeat and the solid foundation Fela laid. His contributions to the Nigerian music industry’s development are undeniable.”
Meanwhile, other talented performers also paid tribute to Fela’s revolutionary music and activism during the event.