Akon Screenshot from Revolt video with podcast hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDQ4VezvUr8
St. Louis-born entrepreneur and musician Akon, who has plans to build a $6 billion Wakanda-inspired city in Senegal and other African countries, wants African Americans to invest in the continent, claiming that doing so will make them millionaires.
Akon’s vision is to build Akon City as a safe space for Black Americans and others facing racial injustice. Not everyone shares that vision.
A former business partner has accused Akon City and its associated cryptocurrency, Akoin (AKN), of resembling a Ponzi scheme.
An Akon spokesman denied accusations of Akon City being a scam as baseless. “They are nothing but innuendo and speculation, made by someone who had a claim against Akon dismissed.”
Akon insists that African Americans could grow generational wealth by bringing money, know-how, discipline, resources and a track record of developing America to Africa.
“If African Americans take (a) position now, you guys, every single African American (would) be a millionaire without even thinking twice because there’s nothing that’s not needed over there,” Akon said during an interview in a private jet hangar in August on Revolt’s Assets Over Liabilities podcast. The interview was hosted by Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, founders of the Earn Your Leisure podcast.
“So you guys come with the discipline, you come with the knowledge, you come with the resources, and then what you’ve created just for developing America. Nothing can happen really in America without us,” he said.
“Just think about everything that creates so much revenue for America, from sports to entertainment to fashion to medicine. You name it, we’re leading in every single sector. Just imagine if we all just decided to just take all our bags, withdraw all our money and go to Africa. Where would America be today? It would collapse overnight… all of our athletes can go create their own teams. Just who do you think they’re gonna watch? They’re gonna watch all of the Black professional athletes playing in Africa.”
Akon shared during the interview that his team has faced complications in developing Akon City. They estimate a 10-year plan.
“I look at Akon City as a business first,” Akon said, “because Africa has been built on charity and has been built on aid for so long to the point where they’ve brainwashed Africans to believe all they’re good for is receiving.”
Here are some of the reactions on Twitter to Akon’s millionaire thesis for African American investors:
Nyhiem (Lord Abba) Freedmen 🇺🇸 @RealNyhiem: “Basically what Akon is saying is, the money we make in America, ESPECIALLY the well off (sports, entertainment, fashion) should not be invested in the resource starved communities we come from, but instead pick ANY country in a place we don’t know (Africa), and invest there.”
The Mogulom Nation @Moguldom: “You think people are just going to allow a foreign group to come in & all get rich. If you go country by country, there are intelligent laws to restrict this or there would be new laws created. If everyone is a millionaire, that implies many billionaires and a ‘capture’ of resources.”
Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 n@tariqnasheed: “Why do they keep trying to sell us the Wakanda Time-Share Package? We are good.”
The Moguldom Nation @Moguldom: “This is a form of spook. Having traveled to cities such as Maputo, Accra, Joburg, Soweto, and Lagos, there would be wars if every Black American became a millionaire via Africa. This implies a new foreign ruling class while the natives are mostly dirt door. These fairy tales are not useful.”
The Moguldom Nation @ Moguldom: “If it’s so easy, why wouldn’t the educated population stay and become millionaires? They have superior local knowledge. Why would they be leaving in mass?”
