Nigerian singer Tekno has named late Igbo highlife musician Oliver De Coque as his musical “king”, explaining that he did not grow up listening to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.

Tekno disclosed during an interview with Yanga FM, where he spoke about the Nigerian musicians who influenced his sound. The singer said his upbringing in Bauchi exposed him to music played by his Igbo father, including the records of Oliver De Coque.

“Fela was not my king, and he will never be my king,” Tekno said, adding that he did not listen to Fela while growing up. He explained that he was raised in an environment where Yoruba was not spoken, and his musical exposure was shaped by his family and upbringing.

However, Tekno clarified that his comments were not meant to dismiss Fela Kuti’s contribution to Nigerian music. He said Fela is a legend and identified “Rara” as the only song in his catalogue that he considers heavily influenced by Fela’s Afrobeat sound.

Tekno also separated “Rara” from some of his other popular songs, including “Duro”, “Pana” and “Yawa”, saying those records came from a different musical background.

The singer’s latest comments follow an interview on New York radio station Hot 97 in August, where he argued that Fela should not be regarded as the sole originator of Afrobeats. Tekno said musicians from eastern Nigeria, including Oliver De Coque, also contributed to the musical traditions that influenced the development of contemporary African pop music.

Oliver De Coque, whom Tekno identifies as his major musical inspiration, was one of Nigeria’s prominent highlife musicians and was known for incorporating Igbo musical traditions into his work. His influence on eastern Nigerian music is central to Tekno’s explanation of the music he heard while growing up.

Tekno, whose real name is Augustine Miles Kelechi Okechukwu, has built his own career around songs including “Duro”, “Pana”, “Yawa” and “Rara”.