Nigeria, Feb. 1 -- 29 years after his death, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has become the first African artist to be honoured with the 2026 Special Merit Awards, also known as the Lifetime Achievement Award, by the Recording Academy.

Recall that in 2025, Fela's 1976 album 'Zombie' was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

At the award ceremony, which took place in Los Angeles on Saturday, the night before the main Grammys ceremony, Fela received his posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award

His children, Yeni, Kunle, Shalewa and Femi Kuti accepted the award on their father's behalf at the ceremony.

In her acceptance speech, Yeni thanked the Grammys for the "wonderful award".

"I want to acknowledge my siblings who couldn't be here...