Nigerian photographer Bolaji Alonge’s photos of the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos are now part of a new limited-edition vinyl of Fela Kuti’s Zombie.
This release is a collaboration between American fashion brand Denim Tears and the Fela Kuti Estate. Designer Tremaine Emory reworked the album’s packaging for this edition.
Emory used photos of the New Afrika Shrine taken by Alonge, along with elements from Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu’s original artwork. The new design connects the album back to Lagos and the Shrine while honoring Mr Ghariokwu’s original work.
The limited release has only 1,000 vinyl copies and is set for 9 October. You can find the records at Dover Street Market in London, Turntable Lab in the United States, and online stores of Partisan Records and Fela Kuti.
How Alonge’s Photos Became Part of ‘Zombie’
Alonge’s photos were taken at the New Afrika Shrine. This venue in Lagos is closely linked to Fela Kuti’s musical legacy.
The original Afrika Shrine was where Fela built his reputation as a musician and a political voice. The New Afrika Shrine is part of the Kuti family’s efforts to keep that legacy alive.
For the new Zombie edition, Emory chose photos from that modern Lagos setting and combined them with the original album’s visual style.
This connects two times in Fela’s history: when Zombie was made and the current cultural life at the New Afrika Shrine.
Alonge has spent years capturing Lagos and Nigerian culture through his project, Eyes of a Lagos Boy. His work includes images linked to the Kuti family, Afrobeat, and the New Afrika Shrine.
Now, his photos are part of the physical packaging of one of Fela’s most famous albums.
New Look for Fela’s ‘Zombie’
Fela released Zombie in 1976. This album became one of his best-known works and a strong criticism of Nigeria’s military government.
The title track criticized soldiers who followed orders without question, comparing them to zombies.
The album made the military government very angry. On February 18, 1977, soldiers attacked Fela’s Kalakuta Republic in Lagos, burning the place down and hurting people inside. Fela’s mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was thrown from a window during the attack and later died from injuries related to it.
Lemi Ghariokwu designed the original Zombie album artwork.
For this new edition, Emory combined elements of Ghariokwu’s artwork with Alonge’s photos of the New Afrika Shrine. According to Partisan Records, the new packaging connects the album to Lagos and the Shrine while giving it a fresh visual identity.
From Lagos to a New Generation
This new edition comes as Fela’s music and legacy keep gaining attention around the world.
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 continues to inspire artists in music, fashion, and visual culture.
For Alonge, this new edition adds another chapter to his work documenting Lagos and its cultural history.
His photos, originally taken in Lagos, will now feature on a limited physical edition of an album deeply connected to the city and Fela’s political and musical legacy.
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