Nigerian singer Augustine Okechukwu, popularly known as Tekno, has sparked a fresh debate over the history of Afrobeat and Afrobeats after arguing that late music icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti should not be regarded as the sole originator of the sound.
Tekno made the comments during a Thursday interview on Hot 97, where he discussed Fela’s influence on Nigerian music and called for greater recognition of other musicians whose contributions, he said, helped shape the country’s musical heritage.
Tekno…Photo Credit: Pulse NG
The singer, who grew up in eastern Nigeria, recalled listening to highlife music and cited legendary musician Oliver De Coque as one of the artistes whose works influenced his understanding of African music.
“They’re legends like Oliver De Coque. He’s a legend that makes pure highlife music, and highlife is also Afrobeats,” Tekno said.
