In 1968, Fela Anikulapo-kuti announced the arrival of Afrobeat; within the year he was promoting his sound all over the USA on a 10-month tour where he became influenced by American jazz. When he returned to his homeland (Nigeria), he opened a nightclub: the Shrine.
Shrine was originally known as Afro spot, a nightclub that Fela rented called Kakadu. He then moved to Surulere nightclub and later on Empire hotel. Here was where he made the original shrine his place of worship and he was known as the Chief Priest of the Africa Shrine.
In 1977 soldiers burned Fela’s house and the Government seized the Africa Shrine. In fact, the whole area where he lived was seized. He now found land situated on Pepple Street in Ikeja environ of Lagos town, rented the land and built the Africa Shrine- his place of worship and a place where he performed.
Unfortunately the owners of the land didn’t share his ideals and soon moved to evict him off this land. In Fela’s lifetime the court had plagued him and at the time he died they were bent on taking back the land. Femi his first son and his family tried all they could to get them to sell the land but to no avail.
Femi now decided to leave the building since it was impossible to persuade them, carrying the “Shrine” itself and moved it to a new place, he built the NEW AFRICA SHRINE in Agidingbi – Ikeja. He built a befitting Mecca of Afrobeat in honor of a great man and here Fela is regarded as a Deity.
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