Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a Nigerian musician, the original creator of Afrobeat, and an outspoken activist from a family of generational activists – who used his music to awaken African consciousness, challenge political corruption and call out social injustice in Nigeria, and the globe. Growing up as a young Nigerian millennial in the 90’s and being exposed to the sound of this legendary figure, the vibrant and revolutionary genre, which was conceived in Nigeria in the 1970’s, has always been more than just music—it’s a cultural force intertwined with political commentary and social movements. My final project, Echoes of Resistance: Revealing Afrobeat’s Cultural Impact while also Analyzing Fela Kuti’s legacy, researches this unique intersection through the lens of Digital Humanities, while uncovering hidden narratives and reimagining how we understand music’s role in shaping history.

The project focuses on Afrobeat’s representation in Nigerian media during 1996-1997, a politically tumultuous period marked by military rule and social unrest. Drawing from the Archivi.ng digital newspaper repository, my research will be using natural language processing, sentiment analysis, and advanced text analysis to dissect the cultural expressions embedded in the media coverage of Afrobeat. By combining these techniques with innovative data visualization, this project reveals the intricate connections between political events, musical commentary, and grassroots activism.

An interdisciplinary team comprising statisticians, data engineers, and digital humanities researchers will be collaborating to bring this project to life. Through web scraping and interactive visualization development, we will be transforming historical newspaper data into dynamic tools for analysis. The results include an interactive web platform, thematic dashboards, and temporal visualizations that highlights Afrobeat’s evolution and its societal impacts.

Key findings from this research will uncover narratives that highlight Afrobeat’s dual role as a cultural critique and a rallying cry for positive change. The project’s deliverables not only preserve these narratives but will also be making them accessible to a global audience, fostering a deeper appreciation for Afrobeat’s legacy.

Looking ahead, this project aims to contribute to academia and beyond. Open-source code and research tools will be made available on platforms like GitHub, encouraging collaboration and innovation in Digital Humanities. Academic publications will be developed to share insights with a broader scholarly community, while public-facing platforms will bring Afrobeat’s historical significance to light for enthusiasts and researchers alike.

By merging traditional scholarship with digital analysis, Echoes of Resistance demonstrates the transformative potential of integrating music, culture, and technology. It will be reaffirming Afrobeat’s place not just as a musical genre, but as a powerful agent of societal change.

PowerPoint slide for ref. _{http://Echoes of Resistance_ Revealing Afrobeat’s Cultural Impact – Analyzing Fela legacy..pptx}

Kelechi Iwuagwu _{(Data Analysis & Viz Candidate, CUNY Graduate)}