Nigerian photographer Bolaji Alonge's images of the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos have been included in a limited-edition vinyl re-release of Fela Kuti's 1976 album 'Zombie'. The new edition is a collaboration between American fashion brand Denim Tears and the Fela Kuti Estate. Designer Tremaine Emory reimagined the album's packaging, incorporating Alonge's photographs and elements from Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu's original artwork. This new design aims to connect the album to Lagos and the Shrine while paying tribute to Ghariokwu's work.
The limited-edition release, restricted to 1,000 vinyl copies, is set for October 9 and will be available through select retailers, including Dover Street Market in London and Turntable Lab in the United States. The records will also be sold online through Partisan Records and Fela Kuti's official stores. Alonge's photographs were taken at the New Afrika Shrine, a Lagos venue closely tied to Fela Kuti's musical legacy and his efforts to preserve that legacy.
Fela Kuti's original Afrika Shrine was the Lagos venue where he built his reputation as a musician and political voice. The New Afrika Shrine later became part of the Kuti family's efforts to preserve and continue that legacy. For the new 'Zombie' edition, Emory chose photographs from the contemporary Lagos setting and combined them with the original album's visual language, connecting two periods of Fela's history.
Bolaji Alonge has spent years documenting Lagos and Nigerian culture through his photography project, Eyes of a Lagos Boy. His work includes images connected to the Kuti family, Afrobeat, and the New Afrika Shrine. Alonge's photographs now form part of the physical packaging of one of Fela's most recognised albums, adding another chapter to his work documenting Lagos and its cultural history.
Fela Kuti released 'Zombie' in 1976, and the album became one of his best-known works and a major part of his criticism of Nigeria's military government. The title track criticised soldiers who blindly followed orders, comparing them to zombies. The album angered the military government, leading to a violent attack on Fela's Kalakuta Republic in Lagos on February 18, 1977.
The original 'Zombie' album artwork was designed by Lemi Ghariokwu. For the new edition, Emory combined elements of Ghariokwu's original artwork with Alonge's photographs of the New Afrika Shrine. According to Partisan Records, the new packaging was designed to connect the album to Lagos and the Shrine while giving it a new visual identity.
The new edition comes as Fela's music and legacy continue to attract attention worldwide. Fela was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026 and received the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award this year. His music and influence have also continued to inspire artists across music, fashion, and visual culture.
Key points
- Bolaji Alonge's photographs of the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos have been featured in a new limited-edition vinyl release of Fela Kuti's 'Zombie'.
- The limited-edition release is a collaboration between Denim Tears and the Fela Kuti Estate, with designer Tremaine Emory reimagining the album's packaging.
- Fela Kuti's music and legacy continue to attract attention worldwide, with recent accolades including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
