Nigerian singer Tekno has revealed that legendary musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was not a major musical influence while he was growing up, explaining that he instead looked up to highlife legend Oliver De Coque.
Tekno made the revelation while discussing his musical background and the influences that shaped his sound.
“Fela was not my king & he will never be my king. I grew up in Bauchi, my dad is Igbo & no one around us spoke Yoruba. I didn’t listen to Fela growing up, the only song of mine that sounds like Fela’s Afrobeat is Rara. Oliver De Coque is my king,” he said.
According to Tekno, his upbringing in Bauchi meant that he was not exposed to much of Fela’s music during his childhood.
The singer explained that although his father is Igbo, he grew up in an environment where Yoruba was not commonly spoken, which he said influenced the music he was exposed to.
Tekno also rejected the idea that his music was heavily influenced by Fela’s Afrobeat, pointing to his song Rara as the only track he believes has similarities to that style.
Instead, he identified Oliver De Coque, the late Nigerian highlife musician, as the artiste he regards as his musical king.
Oliver De Coque, whose real name was Oliver Sunday Akanite, was one of Nigeria’s most prominent highlife musicians and was particularly known for incorporating Igbo musical traditions into his work.
Tekno’s comments have sparked reactions among music fans, particularly because Fela is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Nigerian and African music.
However, Tekno’s remarks were framed around his personal upbringing and musical exposure rather than a dismissal of Fela’s broader contribution to music.
His choice of Oliver De Coque also highlights the influence of Igbo highlife on generations of Nigerian musicians and listeners.
The singer’s statement has since generated discussions online about the different musical influences that shaped Nigerian artistes and how personal upbringing can determine the sounds and musicians an artiste connects with most.
