Fearless Energy Drink is using Felabration 2026 to spotlight emerging Nigerian performers through rap and dance competitions, as the annual festival celebrates the music and cultural legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

The energy drink, produced by Rite Foods Limited, is returning as the festival’s energy drink sponsor, with talent-focused activations scheduled for October 13 and 16 at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos.

The activities are designed to give aspiring rappers and dancers opportunities to showcase their skills and compete for rewards during the festival, which runs from October 12 to 18 under the theme, “Who Are You?”

Rap, dance challenges take centre stage

The Fearless Rap Challenge is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, inviting aspiring rappers to demonstrate their lyrical abilities and compete for rewards.

The Fearless Dance Challenge will follow on Friday, October 16, giving dancers an opportunity to perform their signature moves. Both activities will include consumer rewards ahead of the festival’s grand finale on Sunday, October 18.

The challenges place audience participation and emerging performers at the centre of the brand’s festival activities, extending the celebration beyond performances by established musicians.

However, the organisers have not provided details of the selection criteria, the number of participants expected or the value of the rewards.

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Why Fela’s legacy remains relevant

The 2026 festival theme, “Who Are You?”, draws on Fela’s reputation for challenging convention, expressing strong political and social views through music, and developing a distinctive artistic identity.

For young performers, the theme offers a connection between the Afrobeat pioneer’s legacy and contemporary efforts to create opportunities for new voices in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

Fearless Brand Manager, Adeniyi Aderuku, said the sponsorship was intended to encourage young Nigerians to express themselves and showcase their abilities.

“Fela challenged people to think differently, speak boldly, and stand for what they believe in. At Felabration, Fearless is creating opportunities for people to express themselves, showcase their talent, and be part of an experience that celebrates originality. It is about giving people the confidence and platform to show the world who they are,” Aderuku said.

The festival brings together established artistes, emerging performers and music enthusiasts, maintaining its focus on Afrobeat and its influence on Nigerian and international music.

Fearless builds on previous Felabration campaigns

Fearless has maintained an association with the festival through previous sponsorships and promotional activities.

In 2021, the brand presented a posthumous award to Fela at the Afrika Shrine in recognition of his courage, originality and contribution to African music.

In 2025, it served as Felabration’s exclusive energy drink sponsor, running its “Shakara, No Fear” campaign, which featured talent challenges for emerging performers.

The 2026 edition continues that approach, using rap and dance activities to connect the brand with festivalgoers and aspiring entertainers.

What to expect at Felabration 2026

The festival’s programme includes performances by Femi Kuti and The Positive Force, Made Kuti, and Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, alongside other artistes.

The New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja remains the venue for the week-long celebration, which honours Fela’s contribution to music and his influence on generations of performers.

For Rite Foods, the sponsorship forms part of its broader strategy of connecting its products with consumers through entertainment and cultural events.

Its portfolio includes Fearless Energy Drink, Bigi carbonated soft drinks, Bigi Premium Drinking Water, Sosa Fruit Drink, sausage products and LIDA Malt.

Whether the talent challenges will translate into lasting opportunities for participating performers remains to be seen. For now, they provide an additional attraction at a festival where music, identity and creative expression remain central to the programme.

As Felabration continues through October 18, the rap and dance challenges offer aspiring performers an opportunity to put their abilities before festival audiences while participating in a celebration of Fela’s enduring cultural influence.

Nigerian university campuses are becoming a stage for emerging music talents to compete for prizes and recognition, with students from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Yaba College of Technology and the University of Ibadan featuring among the leading performers at Soundcity OnTour 2026.

At the FUNAAB edition, held from October 7 to 9, Fadina Segun Samson, popularly known as SEGZY, won the BIGI Music Competition before finishing second at the regional finals.

The competition, sponsored by Rite Foods Limited through its BIGI and Fearless Energy Drink brands, combines campus entertainment with opportunities for young performers to showcase their abilities before live audiences.

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Campus competitions bring emerging musicians into the spotlight

SEGZY emerged ahead of Olawumi David, known as Dayvo, who finished as first runner-up, and Adebayo Moyinoluwa, popularly known as Sourde, who came third in the FUNAAB competition.

The organisers reported a total prize pool of ₦1 million for the competition. According to the event caption, SEGZY received ₦500,000, Dayvo earned ₦350,000, while Sourde received ₦150,000.

Beyond the financial rewards, competitions of this kind give student performers an opportunity to test their music before audiences outside their immediate social circles.

However, winning a campus contest does not automatically translate into a sustainable music career. Continued development, access to professional networks, audience growth and opportunities to release and promote music remain important for emerging performers.

FUNAAB winner advances at regional finals

The regional finals brought together performers from different institutions, with Taiwo Oladapo Opeyemi, known as T.Boss, from Yaba College of Technology taking first place.

SEGZY, representing FUNAAB, finished second, while Alabi David, known as The Vyine, from the University of Ibadan placed third.

The results put students from three institutions among the leading performers, illustrating how campus-based competitions can create opportunities for young artistes to reach audiences beyond their universities.

For participants, the challenge extends beyond winning a single contest. Building a following and turning recognition into further performance opportunities are among the next steps for those seeking to establish themselves in the music industry.

BIGI says platform is designed to encourage young talent

Biola Aransiola, Brand Manager at BIGI, said the initiative was intended to give young performers opportunities to express themselves and receive recognition.

“There is no shortage of talent on Nigerian campuses. What matters is creating platforms where young artistes can be heard, recognised and encouraged to go further. Seeing them step up and earn their moment in the spotlight is what makes this initiative worthwhile,” Aransiola said.

The statement reflects the organisers’ emphasis on visibility and participation as part of the competition’s objectives.

While the event provides a stage for student performers, its longer-term contribution to emerging musicians will depend partly on whether the exposure leads to sustained audience engagement and further opportunities.

Soundcity OnTour expands to more institutions

Soundcity OnTour 2026 is expanding to 20 institutions, following its debut across 10 campuses in 2023.

The programme combines music competitions, dance challenges, interactive games and live concerts. It is sponsored by BIGI and Fearless Energy Drink, both brands of Rite Foods Limited.

The company also produces BIGI Premium Drinking Water, Sosa Fruit Drink, sausage products and LIDA malt.

For the brands, the campus tour provides a way to engage young consumers through live entertainment. For participating students, the music competition offers an opportunity to perform, compete and gain recognition in a public setting.

Kwara State University is next

The tour is scheduled to continue at Kwara State University, where another group of emerging performers will have an opportunity to compete.

The next stage will extend the initiative’s reach to another student audience, as the participating musicians seek to turn campus performances into further opportunities.

For Nigeria’s emerging artistes, the value of such platforms will ultimately depend not only on the prizes awarded but also on the opportunities they create for performers to develop their craft, connect with audiences and progress beyond campus competitions.

A new stage production examining the transatlantic slave trade through African history, cultural memory and storytelling is set to premiere in Lagos on October 17, with its creators hoping to encourage renewed conversations about the continent’s past and its lasting legacy.

Titled Odigbose: The Play, the production will be staged at the Agip Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos, at 7pm on Saturday.

Written by tourism and cultural entrepreneur Otunba Dr Chief Olawanle Wanle Akinboboye and produced by Atunda Entertainment, the play seeks to present the history of slavery from an African perspective.

Its organisers say the production is designed to foreground African experiences, cultural heritage and resilience while examining the human consequences of the transatlantic slave trade.

Using theatre to revisit Africa’s history

The production combines drama, traditional chants, African music, dance and storytelling to explore the capture, suffering and forced transportation of Africans during the slave trade.

Rather than focusing solely on slavery as a historical event, the play also seeks to celebrate the dignity, courage and cultural identity of African people whose histories were shaped by the trade and its consequences.

Atunda Entertainment describes the production as “The First African Account of the Slave Trade”.

The claim is the organisers’ description of the production and has not been independently established as a historical first.

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Why the production matters

The transatlantic slave trade involved the forced transportation of millions of Africans across the Atlantic over several centuries. Its consequences continue to inform discussions about African identity, cultural heritage, historical injustice and the relationship between Africa and the wider world.

Theatre offers another way to engage audiences with this history by translating historical experiences into performances that combine dialogue, movement, music and visual expression.

For younger audiences in particular, productions such as Odigbose: The Play can provide an opportunity to explore historical experiences beyond conventional classroom accounts, although the play’s historical interpretations would need to be assessed against established historical research.

Its stated objectives include encouraging Africans to preserve their collective memory and take greater ownership of narratives about the continent’s past.

The production also aims to stimulate discussions about slavery’s human cost, its effects on African communities and the importance of representing historical experiences through African voices.

Who is expected at the premiere?

The October 17 premiere is expected to attract traditional rulers, theatre practitioners, historians, scholars, cultural ambassadors, members of the diplomatic community, business leaders and other people interested in African history and heritage.

However, the organisers have not provided further details about the programme, cast, ticket prices or whether additional performances are planned.

The premiere is scheduled to begin at 7pm at the Agip Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos.

Interested attendees can contact +234 913 055 4013 for reservations and confirmation.

As the production prepares to open, its central proposition is that the history of the slave trade should be examined not only through the suffering it caused but also through the cultural identity, resilience and historical memory of the African people who endured it.