Akon rues Africa’s disunity

By Alagie Manneh    Africa is a strong but disunited land, according to Senegalese-merican singer and songwriter Akon, and must come together to harness effective collective efforts for any meaningful development and progress to come. Akon was speaking at the Coco Ocean Hotel Sunday, where he gave an inspirational speech on youth empowerment and the role of young people in the new Gambia. He is here to launch his project Akon Lighting Africa, which started in 2014 together with Samba Bathcilly and Thione Niang, and aims to provide electricity by solar energy in Africa. And speaking ahead of the launching at Sare Pateh, the top musician said: “As strong as Africa is our biggest, weakest link is unity. If we just figure out a way to come together for ten years. “How about we just try for ten years? Let us come together harness our energy for all things positive. If I am in conflict with the country next door, let’s just have peace for ten years. I know it sounds like a lot because in ten years two presidents might come and go or president might not want to go, but at least we will have peace. “ Akon also talks about light, saying: “The advantages that come with light is unprecedented because nothing in life happens without electricity or any kind of energy. I am surprised we last this longer without it. Literally, it shows how strong we are, how smart we are and how we know how to utilize nothing and make it into something. So now imagine if we position each other to where we all could have something. Mr Thione Niang, the founder of Give1 project, gave an inspirational speech: “Today the young Africans should dream about touching the moon and creating the opportunities. Millions of our people are dying everyday of small little disease that can be cured. If you go to anywhere in Africa, our women are dying having babies, some of them malaria. Some of them, more than six hundred million Africans today, living in the dark. If we do not do anything, nothing will happen.” “Africa’s problems need Africa solution and you the young people of Africa are the solution of Africa today,” Mr Niang observed. Hundreds of young Gambians and entrepreneurs gathered at the Coco Ocean to listen to inspirational speeches by the various speakers, including Mr Papa Yusupha Njie of Unique Solutions.]]>