Kalakuta Museum To Gulp N58 Million

The rehabilitation and conversion of the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s home, Kalakuta Republic, into a modern museum will gulp N58million and the Lagos State government has already committed N40million into the project, Yeni Kuti, the eldest daughter of the late Afrobeat legend recently disclosed.

Yeni announced this during a media briefing at the Africa Shrine to kick-off this year’s Felabration —the annual musical festival celebrating Fela’s life and his birthday on 15 October. She said the magnanimity of the state government has helped realise the dream.

“Based on the proposal we presented to the government, the project will cost N58 million. For now, we have received N40 million and we are confident that the remaining part would come as and when due,” Yeni said

She added it has been a long wait since the death of her father to give him a befitting immortalisation. “For 15 years, people have been hitting us that we (Fela’s children) could not do something to immortalise our father. But we thank God today that Lagos State has given us money to turn the house into a museum,” she said excitedly.

Kalakuta Republic located along Gbemisola Street, Ikeja, Lagos, is the last residence of Fela until his demise. The project has commenced in earnest with resolve to open the museum on 15 October during the Felabration week.

Oladisun Holloway, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations said government decided to immortalise Fela because he remains one of the greatest musicians from Africa.

“Though the Afro Beat legend is not from Lagos State, the present administration is determined to honour him because of his immense contribution to the growth and development of Afro Beat music all over the world,” Holloway said.

He assured that the essence of Kalakuta Republic will be intact even after its rehabilitation, and that when completed, the museum will serve as a store house and a database for the late icon’s life and times.

When completed, the museum will house a gallery displaying a vast collection of Fela’s personal effects like his colourful clothes and shoes. It will also have an exhibition area, a coffee shop, five-room boutique, roof-top restaurant, bar, stage and souvenir shop.