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Tekno has shared his perspective on the roots of Afrobeats and the musicians who influenced the sound.
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The singer said Fela Kuti’s extensive travels and international performances helped him gain global recognition.
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Tekno highlighted Eastern Nigerian highlife legend Oliver De Coque as a major influence on his own music.
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He said the history of Afrobeats should also recognise other musical pioneers whose contributions are often overlooked.
August 27, (THEWILL) — Nigerian singer Tekno has reignited a conversation about the roots of Afrobeats, saying the history of the genre goes beyond one musician.
Speaking during an interview on HOT 97’s World Wide Wake Up show in July, Tekno reflected on the musicians who influenced him and shared his thoughts on why Fela Kuti has become closely associated with the origins of Afrobeat.
Tekno said he grew up listening to highlife music from the South-East and was particularly inspired by Oliver De Coque, one of the region’s most celebrated musicians.
“I would say I was more inspired by Oliver De Coque. Fela gets the credit because he was well travelled with his band,” he said.
The singer explained that Fela’s international exposure helped take his music to audiences outside Nigeria and Africa, contributing to his recognition in discussions about the origins of Afrobeat.
Tekno also stressed that other musicians from the same era made important contributions to African music.
“To some people, Fela is the originator of Afrobeat, but to me, there’s a bunch of others in the same era,” Tekno said.
“If Fela inspired you as a Yoruba person, Oliver De Coque inspired me as an Igbo person.”
Oliver De Coque was one of the leading figures in Nigerian highlife and was known for blending traditional Igbo sounds with modern instrumentation. His music became popular across Nigeria and beyond.
While highlighting De Coque’s influence, Tekno also acknowledged Fela’s impact on his own work. He said his song “Rara” was heavily inspired by the Afrobeat pioneer.
The singer’s comments draw attention to the different musical traditions that have contributed to Nigeria’s rich music history.
While Fela remains one of the most influential figures in African music, Tekno’s perspective highlights the contributions of other pioneers whose work also influenced generations of Nigerian musicians.
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Social Media Reacts to Tekno’s Comments
Tekno’s remarks have drawn mixed reactions on social media, with some users challenging his comments about highlife and Afrobeat, while others defended his perspective and called for a less divisive conversation.
@notDregulargee wrote:
“Na everyday we go Dey educate una? Firstly there is different between highlife and afrobeat. Clear difference, secondly the high life his talking about did not come from the east, it came from Ghana… God pls give this set of people sense.”
@wito7 said:
“Pesin talk say see wetin I dey listen to while growing up una dey insult am. Na everybody go dey listen to fela ni? Abi someone else opinion no matter for una side na only una opinion good. And una want betterment of the great national make una dey play”
@anonymous_uche wrote:
“Me think is because Yoruba is more prominent in the media. While our people were in pursuit of money, the Yorubas were busy investing in media. Now they have the narrative”
@jonathanezebui2 said:
“Highlife is different from Afrobeat…Oliver was never an Afrobeat maestro, please Tekno, try to learn before talking”
Meanwhile, @its_kingdee urged people to avoid turning the discussion into a tribal argument:
“Una don turn comment section to tribalism. Calm down and watch the videooo, he said nothing wrongggg”
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
