Tekno made the remarks during an interview on Hot 97 FM in New York, where he argued that other Nigerian music legends also played significant roles in shaping the sounds that influenced modern Afrobeats.
According to the singer, artistes from different parts of Nigeria contributed to the country's musical heritage, citing legendary highlife musician Oliver De Coque as one of his major influences.
“Fela is not the originator of Afrobeats,” Tekno said during the interview.
He added that while many people, particularly in Lagos and the South-West, may regard Fela as the pioneer of the genre, musicians from other regions also made important contributions to Nigerian music.
Tekno pointed to Oliver De Coque and the highlife sound, arguing that the genre formed part of the broader musical foundation that influenced contemporary Afrobeats.
The singer said Fela receives much of the credit because of his international exposure and the global reach of his music.
According to Tekno, Fela travelled extensively and performed around the world with his band, helping to introduce Nigerian music to international audiences.
However, he maintained that several other music legends deserved greater recognition for their contributions.
“To some people, he is the originator of Afrobeats, but to me, there are a bunch of them—legends that no one speaks about,” he said.
Despite his comments, Tekno acknowledged Fela's influence on his music and revealed that the Afrobeat pioneer inspired his hit song, Rara.
The singer, however, said his strongest musical influences came from Oliver De Coque and other highlife musicians from Eastern Nigeria.
Tekno explained that his father frequently played Oliver De Coque's music while he was growing up, an experience he said played a significant role in shaping his musical taste and sound.
His comments have since generated discussion among music fans over the origins of Afrobeats and the contributions of different generations of Nigerian musicians to the globally recognised genre.
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