Tekno Don Talk Am: Fela Kuti Was Not the Only Father of Afrobeats — Oliver De Coque Also Deserves Credit

The Afrobeats origin debate just got hotter as singer Tekno drops a name many millennials may have forgotten

Nigerian music sensation Augustine Miles Kelechi, better known as Tekno*, has set the internet on fire after making a bold claim that many die-hard Fela fans are not ready to hear — that the legendary **Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was not the *sole originator of Afrobeats.

According to Tekno, the credit should also extend to the late Igbo highlife and African music titan, Oliver De Coque — a name that, if you grew up in a Nigerian household with a serious sound system and a father who knew good music, you would recognise immediately.

“Fela Is Not the Only One” — Tekno’s Controversial Take

Tekno’s assertion has sparked a fierce conversation across Nigerian social media, with fans and music historians jumping into the debate from all sides. For many Nigerians, Fela is practically untouchable — an icon, a revolutionary, a deity of rhythm and resistance. So, any statement that dares to share his crown is bound to raise eyebrows and tempers alike.

But Tekno’s point is not entirely without merit. Oliver De Coque, born Oliver Sunday Akanite*, was one of the most influential musicians to ever come out of the eastern part of Nigeria. His brand of *Ogene-influenced highlife and African funk blended rhythms, cultural storytelling, and electrifying guitar work in a way that left a permanent stamp on the soundscape of African music.

Who Was Oliver De Coque?

For the younger generation — the Gen Zs vibing to Burna Boy and Asake — Oliver De Coque might just be a name your uncle mentions when arguing about “real music.” But make no mistake, this man was a giant.

Born in Ezinifite, Aguata, Anambra State, De Coque rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s with hits that celebrated Igbo culture, praised community leaders, and carried the heartbeat of southeastern Nigeria to the world. His guitar style was distinctive, his voice commanding, and his stage presence? Absolutely electric.

Albums like People’s Club of Nigeria and his countless praise songs made him a beloved figure not just in Igboland, but across Nigeria and the African continent.

So, Is Tekno Right?

This is where the debate gets interesting. The term “Afrobeats”* — note the ‘s’ — is a modern, umbrella term that describes the contemporary Nigerian and West African pop sound that has conquered global music charts. It is different from *Fela’s Afrobeat (without the ‘s’), which was a specific genre he pioneered blending jazz, funk, and traditional Yoruba music with sharp political commentary.

Tekno’s argument, therefore, opens up a broader and very valid conversation: African music did not evolve from one source. The rivers of sound that fed into what we now celebrate globally as Afrobeats flowed from many wells — Fela’s Lagos, De Coque’s Anambra, King Sunny Ade’s Osun, and many more.

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Nigeria’s Musical Heritage Is Bigger Than One Man

This is perhaps the most important takeaway from Tekno’s statement. Nigerian music is rich, diverse, and deeply layered. From the highlife of the East to the Jùjú of the West, from the Afrobeat of Lagos to the Fuji echoing through Ibadan streets — our musical heritage cannot and should not be reduced to a single originator.

Fela deserves every ounce of his legendary status. But so does Oliver De Coque. And so do the countless other artists who poured their souls into building the foundation that today’s generation now stands on to collect Grammy nominations and headline Coachella.

The Verdict

Whether you agree with Tekno or not, one thing is clear — this conversation needs to happen. As Afrobeats continues to dominate global stages, it is only right that we look back and give proper flowers to all the pioneers who made it possible.

So the next time you stream your favourite Afrobeats banger, remember: somewhere in that beat, you can hear the ghost of Fela’s saxophone and the echo of De Coque’s guitar.

Both of them dey inside the music. Always.

What do you think? Was Tekno right to bring Oliver De Coque into the Afrobeats origin conversation? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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