Fela stole Afrobeat from Orlando Julius – Wizkid’s producer Samklef alleges

 

Image:X

Popular Nigerian music producer, Samuel Oguachuba, professionally known as Samklef, has sparked widespread debate on social media after alleging that late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, was not the original creator of the genre.

Samklef made the controversial claim amid the ongoing public feud involving superstar singer Wizkid and members of Fela’s family. According to the producer, Afrobeat was pioneered by another veteran Nigerian musician, Orlando Julius Ekemode, and not Fela as commonly believed.

The Molowo hitmaker alleged that Fela “stole” the Afrobeat style from Orlando Julius, whom he described as the true originator of the genre. Samklef further claimed that Orlando Julius also played a key role in teaching Fela how to play musical instruments, including the saxophone.

Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Samklef shared a photograph of the late Orlando Julius while making his assertions. “This is the man that created Afrobeat! His name is Orlando Julius Ekemode! Fela stole his style!” he wrote.

He continued by stating, “Fela stole Orlando Julius Ekemode, the original Afrobeat founder’s style. He also taught Fela how to play sax. The problem with Nigeria is generally that we lack proper documentation. I go start to dey teach una history.”

Samklef’s comments immediately drew mixed reactions from music lovers, historians, and fans of Afrobeat across social media platforms. 

While some users supported his call for deeper historical research and documentation of Nigerian music history, others strongly disagreed with his claims, insisting that Fela’s role in developing, popularising, and globalising Afrobeat remains unmatched.

For decades, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been widely credited as the pioneer of Afrobeat, a genre he developed in the late 1960s and 1970s by blending elements of funk, jazz, highlife, calypso, salsa, and traditional West African rhythms. 

Beyond music, Fela used Afrobeat as a tool for political activism, social commentary, and resistance against military rule and corruption in Nigeria.

Orlando Julius, who died in 2022, was also a respected musician known for fusing traditional African sounds with jazz and soul, particularly during his time in the United States. 

Many music scholars acknowledge that Orlando Julius influenced early Afrobeat sounds, but maintain that Fela’s innovations transformed those influences into a distinct and globally recognised genre.

The debate comes at a time when conversations about Fela’s legacy have intensified, following Wizkid’s recent comments comparing himself to the late musician, which drew backlash from members of the Kuti family and several Nigerian entertainers.

As reactions continue to trail Samklef’s claims, the controversy has reignited discussions around Nigeria’s musical history, the need for proper documentation, and the contributions of lesser-known pioneers whose roles may not have been fully recognised over time.

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