Afrobeat as a Tool for Political Activism and Liberation: a Reader Response Analysis of Seun Anikulapo Kuti's Songs.

Student: Abdulrahman Garba (Project, 2025)
Department of English and Literary Studies
Bayero University, Kano, Kano State

Abstract

This study explores the role of Afrobeat as a medium for political activism and liberation through a reader-response analysis of three songs by Seun Anikulapo Kuti: "African Dreams," "Rise," and "Gimme My Vote Back (C.P.C.D)." By examining the songs’ lyrical content and literary elements, the research investigates how they address contemporary socio-political issues such as cultural alienation, systemic exploitation, and electoral corruption, while mobilizing listeners to envision a liberated future. A qualitative methodology, combining close textual analysis with a reader-response framework, reveals the songs’ capacity to inspire political action and their continuation of Fela Kuti’s activist legacy in a modern context. The analysis also highlights the diverse interpretations of these songs by hypothetical audiences, including Nigerian youth, global activists, and students, demonstrating the influence of socio-political context on meaning-making. Findings affirm Afrobeat’s significance within African performance traditions as a participatory tool for resistance and communal engagement. This study contributes to literary studies by applying reader-response theory to a non-traditional text and offers practical insights for activists and educators seeking to use Afrobeat in political mobilization and education.

Keywords
Afrobeat
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