Nigerian singer Tekno has challenged the idea that Fela Kuti should be regarded as the sole originator of Afrobeat, arguing that the history of Nigerian music is broader and includes influential musicians from other parts of the country.
Speaking during an interview on HOT 97, Tekno acknowledged Fela’s enormous contribution to Nigerian music and his role in taking Afrobeat to a global audience.
However, he said his understanding of the genre’s history also includes musicians from eastern Nigeria, particularly the late highlife legend Oliver De Coque.
Tekno explained that his appreciation for older Nigerian music was shaped by his upbringing and his father’s musical collection.
He said there were several musicians whose work had influenced the development of Nigerian popular music but whose contributions were not discussed as widely as Fela’s.
The singer specifically pointed to Oliver De Coque and other eastern Nigerian musicians as examples of artists whose music deserves greater recognition.
Tekno also acknowledged Fela’s international impact, noting that the legendary musician’s global touring and performances helped establish his music and political message internationally.
The comments have reopened a longstanding cultural conversation about the origins and evolution of Nigerian popular music.
Fela Kuti is widely recognised as the central figure in the development and global popularisation of Afrobeat, but Nigerian music itself emerged from multiple traditions, including highlife, juju, fuji and other regional sounds.
Tekno’s argument is therefore less about dismissing Fela’s influence and more about broadening the historical conversation around the musicians and traditions that shaped Nigerian music.
The distinction is important because Afrobeat, as developed and popularised by Fela and his collaborators, is a specific musical tradition, while Nigerian popular music has always drawn from several genres and regional influences.
Tekno’s remarks, as presented in the interview material, should therefore be understood as his personal interpretation of the genre’s history rather than a settled historical finding.