2-IN-1 STORY: Akon In Liberia To Install Electricity At Schools; Liberians Welcome Akon's Criticism Over Power Shortages

Akon is in Liberia to promote a scheme to install electricity in schools; Akon said he did not know that electricity existed until he moved to the US at the age of eight. Getty Images

Senegalese-born hip-hop musician Akon is in Liberia to install solar electricity at two primary schools in the West African country.

Akon told the BBC that he was moved by the resilience of the Liberian people after 14 years of civil war and the recent Ebola epidemic. BBC

BBC News report continues:

It is part of his Lighting Africa project to bring electricity to 600 million people across the continent.

In this instance he has partnered up with Bridge International Academies, which, in association with other international organizations, is behind a pilot project in Liberia to run 50 government junior schools.

As his motorcade drove into the capital, Monrovia, under police escort, the musician said it was “crazy” that he could not see a single street light on the 50km (32-mile) road from the airport.

“A lot of people don’t realize that it’s the people that develop countries; all government does is to try to manage the process; and in Africa we have a tendency of thinking that the government does it all for us.”

“This is our country, we have to live in it, we have to sleep, we have wake up in the same environment, so we have to be the ones to create that environment for ourselves; and we can’t put it on government,” he said

The musician said Africans should look beyond race and address the continent’s education and other problems.

“It’s not a black or white problem; it is an African problem,” he said.

And he told school children in Liberia to take their learning seriously, saying:

“We all benefit if we are educated.”

Meanwhile BBC Africa Live reports that a radio debate erupted here in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, this morning over remarks by the visiting Senegal-born US hip-hop star, Akon.

He said on Thursday that it was "crazy” that he did not see a single streetlight on the 50km (31-mile) road between Liberia’s main international airport and the city when his motorcade drove in.

Akon is in Liberia to launch his Light to Learn project that takes solar lights to schools in dire need of electricity.

On privately-owned Farbric FM caller Jusu Freeman praised the music icon for flagging up the issue. “We thank God for Akon,” he said.

Charles Kennedy, another caller, speaking with some level of emotion, said Akon was “God sent” to unearth a situation that has been complained about for a long time with nothing done to address it. 

Nebett Kortu agreed with Akon. “We hope our national government will listen,” he said.

But Emmanuel Payne, a diehard supporter of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and member of the governing Unity Party, appeared on the FM station to debunk the criticism, insisting that the government’s efforts to provide for its people “are either yielding fruit or nearing fruition”.

Most people in Monrovia, if they have power at all, rely on private generators.