Nigerian singer Augustine Kelechi Okechukwu, popularly known as Tekno, has weighed in on the history of Afrobeat and the legacy of late music icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, arguing that the genre’s development cannot be attributed to one person alone.
Speaking during an interview on HOT 97, Tekno acknowledged Fela’s significant influence on Afrobeat but also highlighted the contributions of other Nigerian music legends, particularly highlife musicians from the eastern part of the country.
Asked whether Fela should be regarded as the father or creator of the Afrobeat sound, Tekno said he was uncertain, noting that musicians such as Oliver De Coque had also played important roles in shaping African music.
“I don’t know, to be honest. There are legends like Oliver De Coque that made pure highlife music, and highlife is also Afrobeat,” he said.
Tekno, who hails from the southeastern part of Nigeria, said some of his music had been influenced by Fela, particularly his song Rara, while acknowledging the late musician’s role in taking Afrobeat to the global stage.
“For the people in Lagos and Yorubas, a record of mine that is ‘Rara’ is heavily inspired by Fela because I heard his tune and he is a legend. He stamped the Afrobeat thing on the world map,” he said.
However, the singer said several musicians from the eastern region had also produced influential sounds that deserved greater recognition.
“But there are other people that we listen to from the East, because I am from the East, and we had legends that sang some type of music that if you heard today, you wouldn’t even believe that this music was made in those times,” he said.
Tekno said his appreciation for older Nigerian musicians began at home, revealing that his father introduced him to their music while he was growing up.
“I would say I was more inspired by Oliver De Coque because my dad used to play his records. There were so many artists that nobody knows about, and Fela gets the credit because he kind of travelled and had the band and went around the world,” he said.
While acknowledging Fela’s status as one of the most influential figures in African music, Tekno argued that the history of Afrobeat should recognise the contributions of several musical legends.
“For some people, he is the originator of the Afrobeat thing, but to me, there is still a bunch of them and a lot of legends no one speaks about,” he added.
