Akon’s $6 billion futuristic city in Senegal excites Senegalese

Senegalese are excited about the proposed construction of Akon’s $6 billion futuristic pan-African city scheduled to kick off next year in the singer’s home country, Senegal.

The $6 billion project of Akon, whose real name is Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam, has been described as the “a real-life Wakanda” in reference to the Afro-futuristic city in Marvel’s movie, Black Pantherwill use a crypto currency called AKoin.

While touring the site of the Akon’s $6 billion futuristic city with government officials, the singer revealed that one-third of funds for the project, which is located in Mbodienne district of the country have also been acquired.

The 47 year-old pop star added that the project was meant to create jobs for Senegalese while also serving as a “home back home” for Black Americans and other people in the Diaspora who are being racially discriminated against.

In his words: “The system back home treats them unfairly in so many different ways that you can never imagine. And they only go through it because they feel that there is no other way.”

“So if you are coming from America or Europe or elsewhere in the Diaspora and you feel that you want to visit Africa, we want Senegal to be your first stop.” Speaking about the project to Associated Press, Senegalese Tourism Minister, Alioune Sarr said that the project could not have come at a better time.

According to him, “COVID-19 has sown doubt everywhere. This means that those who had doubts about the attractiveness of Senegal, and Africa in general must convince themselves that there are men and women who believe in Africa.”

It would take over three years for the first phase of the Akon $6 billion futuristic city to be completed once construction begins. The city will have facilities including a hotel that would have rooms designed specifically for each of the 54 African countries, a seaside resort, a tech hub, a movie hub known as “Senewood” as well as recording studios, among others.

Over the past few years, Akon has embarked on some developmental projects across the African continent. In 2014, the singer launched his Akon Lighting Africa project aimed at providing electricity by solar energy in Africa. The initiative, which was inspired by the need to light up his grandmother’s house back in Senegal, has financed various solar lighting projects across African countries including Mali, the Republic of Guinea, Benin, Senegal, Niger, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo-Brazzaville, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Madagascar, and Namibia.

“It was a way of just trying to figure out what solution would be necessary to get electricity there,” Akon said about the project. “In the process, you start to realize how many people are out there lacking electricity, especially in Africa.”

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