Nigerian singer, Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly called Tekno, has challenged the widespread belief that the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, was the creator of Afrobeat.
Tekno made this claim during a recent interview with Hot 97 FM in New York, where he argued that several Nigerian music legends, including the late socialite musician Oliver De Coque, contributed significantly to the development of the sound now associated with Afrobeats.
According to him, Fela’s global exposure and extensive international performances contributed to him receiving much of the genre’s recognition.
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Tekno, however, acknowledged Fela’s immense influence on African music, particularly his role in bringing Afrobeat to international audiences.
“Fela is not the creator of Afrobeats. People from Lagos and Yorubas might say he is the one, but I am from the East and we had legends like Oliver De Coque. Oliver De Coque made pure highlife music. Highlife is also Afrobeats.
“My song ‘Rara’ is heavily inspired by Fela because I listened to his music growing up. He is a legend. He was the one who took Afrobeat internationally. But there are other people we listen to. In the East, we had some legends who sang some kind of music that, if you heard it today, you wouldn’t believe was made in those times.
“I feel that these legends deserved more recognition. I would say that I was most inspired by Oliver De Coque and his companions from the East. My father used to play their music a lot.
“Fela gets all the credit because he traveled and performed with his band all over the world. For some people, he is the creator of Afrobeats, but for me, there are a lot of them, legends that no one talks about,” Tekno said.
Tekno’s comments have reignited debates about the origins and evolution of Afrobeats and the contributions of musicians from different parts of Nigeria to the country’s contemporary musical culture..
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