Nigerian singer Augustine Kelechi Okechukwu, popularly known as Tekno, has challenged the popular narrative that late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was the sole creator of Afrobeats.

The singer made the remarks during a recent interview on Hot 97. He discussed Fela’s influence on Nigerian music and the contributions of other musicians to the genre’s development.

Tekno credits highlife legends

Tekno said growing up in eastern Nigeria exposed him to highlife music. He also listened to the works of highlife legend Oliver De Coque.

The singer argued that highlife forms part of the musical traditions that influenced the sound now associated with Afrobeats.

“They’re legends like Oliver De Coque. He’s a legend that makes pure highlife music, and highlife is also Afrobeats,” he said.

Tekno also acknowledged Fela’s influence on his own music. He cited his song ‘Rara’ as a record inspired by the late musician.

“I have a record of mine, Rara, that is really big and is heavily inspired by Fela because I heard his tune as well and he’s a legend.”

‘Fela gets the credit’

While praising Fela’s impact, Tekno said other Nigerian musicians deserve more recognition for their contributions to the country’s musical history.

“He (Fela) obviously stamped the Afrobeats thing on the world map, but we have some other legends that sang very good music that if you heard today, you wouldn’t even believe that those songs were made in those times

“People don’t know them as much, but my dad used to play these records, and it was so many artistes that made it, but Fela gets the credit because he kind of travelled and he had the band that went around the world

“To some people, he’s the originator of Afrobeats, but to me, there are a lot of them,” he said.

Fela remains widely recognised as the pioneer of Afrobeat, which he developed by blending West African musical traditions with jazz, funk and politically charged lyrics.

However, Tekno’s comments highlight the wider musical history behind contemporary Afrobeats. He pointed to highlife and other Nigerian traditions as part of the foundation that helped shape the genre.

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