R&B singer Akon to build futuristic city

The American R&B singer Akon has said his plans to build a city from scratch will go ahead. Akon has raised funds for a futuristic metropolis with a population of 300,000 people. It will be called Akon City and be built on the coast of Senegal on Africa's west coast. Akon has Senegalese roots. He was born in the USA to Senegalese parents and spent much of his childhood in Africa. He described his city as a "real-life Wakanda," in reference to the city in the movie "Black Panther". He announced that construction on the $6 billion project will commence next year and is expected to take three years to complete. He hopes his undertaking will provide much-needed employment for Senegalese.

Blueprints on the akoncity.com website show a cityscape of surreal-looking gleaming glass and steel high-rises. The designs of the towering skyscrapers were inspired by traditional sculptures made in African villages. The city will boast high-tech living and high-speed Internet connectivity. Akon wants the city to be a port of call for Senegalese and other Africans facing racial injustice in the USA or Europe. He said: "The system back home treats people 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're coming from...the diaspora and you feel that you want to visit Africa, we want Senegal to be your first stop."