Source: Gabriel Olsen / Getty
Akon has been putting on for his city—literally.
After the success of his cryptocurrency, Akoin, Akon finally announced the finalization of his new city, Akon City, in his home country of Senegal. The announcement, which was made on Monday (Jan. 13) via the singer’s Instagram, featured Akon along with members of the Senegal Board of Tourism showcasing the decree solidifying the establishment of the new city.
“Just finalized the agreement for AKON CITY in Senegal. Looking forward to hosting you there in the future,” Akon captioned the historic moment.
Although specific plans for the city have yet to be released, Akon did give fans a sneak peek at his plans during his interview with Nick Cannon in December.
Part of initializing plans for his city was the Lighting Africa Initiative in which Akon brought electricity to impoverished parts of his home country via solar power.
“It’s all renewable, the Akon-tainment solar city. It’s all renewable,” Akon said during the interview. “[It’s] A real physical place, it’s going to have a real airport. It’s a 10-year building block so we’re doing it in stages. We started construction in March and stage two is going to be 2025.”
While Akon has continued to put his money to good use by aiding his home country, during the interview he did have stern words for billionaires who haven’t put their money toward similar efforts. “If you can have a billion dollars sitting in the bank, while you have all these people suffering, it’s crazy to me. It’s like a waste of a billion dollars,” he said.
During the ceremony, the SAPCO representatives shed light on the future of the project. According to the Senegal based publication Jarkata Post, the tourism ministry has nothing but high praise for Akon and the deal, noting that the size of the deal is still being negotiated but part of his plans include building a complex in the seaside village of Mbodiene, some 120 kilometers south of the capital Dakar.
In case you missed it, check the insightful interview below.
Source: HipHopWired.com
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