Nigerian photographer Bolaji Alonge’s images of the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos have been included in the packaging of a limited vinyl edition of Fela Kuti’s Zombie.
The project brings together American fashion brand Denim Tears, the Fela Kuti Estate, and Partisan Records. Its release was scheduled for Friday, 9 October 2026, with a production run of 1,000 records, according to the release announcement issued through Shore Fire Media. shorefire.com
New artwork with a connection to Lagos
According to Partisan Records, Denim Tears founder Tremaine Emory redesigned the album’s packaging using Alonge’s photographs while retaining references to Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu’s original design.
The label says Emory wanted the edition to connect directly with Lagos and the New Afrika Shrine. He has described Zombie as an important influence on his life and creative work. partisanrecords.com
The photographs document the contemporary Shrine. Captions accompanying the artwork on Alonge’s website identify the images as having been taken in Lagos in 2020. eyesofalagosboy.com
Alonge’s record of Nigerian cultural life
Writing on his Eyes of a Lagos Boy website, Alonge said he was proud to see his photographs included in an edition celebrating the album.
His archive includes photographs of the Kuti family, former members of Fela’s band, and the community around the New Afrika Shrine. Through Eyes of a Lagos Boy, he has documented Lagos’ changing landscape and cultural heritage.
“Photography is about documenting history,” Alonge said in the account published on 7 October. eyesofalagosboy.com
An international release of a Nigerian protest record
The announced sales outlets include Dover Street Market in London, Turntable Lab in the United States, and the online stores of Partisan Records and Fela Kuti. An accompanying T-shirt forms part of the collaboration. shorefire.com
Turntable Lab’s product listing independently identifies Alonge’s photography, Emory’s redesigned artwork, and the limited run of 1,000 copies. turntablelab.com
Zombie remains closely associated with Fela’s criticism of military rule in Nigeria. Its title track mocked soldiers’ unquestioning obedience to orders, making the music’s political message central to its identity. eyesofalagosboy.com
Trivane View
The packaging keeps Lagos visible as Fela’s music reaches international collectors. Bringing Alonge’s contemporary photographs into the design connects the record with the cultural life that continues around the Shrine. It also gives a named Nigerian photographer a place in the album’s continuing visual history.
