When an R&B star vows to build a futuristic city in your backyard
| Mbodi猫ne, Senegal
There鈥檚 a deep quality to the stillness in Mbodi猫ne. In the middle of this small coastal town stand two mighty kapok trees, their spreading branches casting shade over the square. Dusty pathways lead off the square to single-story cement homes听鈥� there are no tarred roads here.
On a recent afternoon, a bell rings and a kindergarten spews out a dozen or so kids into the square. Across the field, their excited chatter is barely audible, the trees seeming to absorb all sounds.
Home to mostly fishers and farmers, known only for bird-watching, Mbodi猫ne has always been quiet. But a massive project spearheaded by Senegalese American singer Akon could soon change that. Humble Mbodi猫ne has been picked as the site of , a futuristic 鈥渟mart city鈥� projected to cost billions and take a decade to complete.
Why We Wrote This
Akon City has been compared to Wakanda: the fictional city in 鈥淏lack Panther鈥� that captured imaginations, giving a much-needed revamp to images of Africa. But Akon City鈥檚 no symbol. Its success or failure will have real consequences 鈥� and for no one more than the people next door.
In architects鈥� sketches, the unbuilt Senegalese city is a labyrinth of warped metal and glass, with miles of palm-lined roads听鈥� a scene from science fiction. Undulating rose-gold towers reach up toward the sky, their vast windows and curves reflecting the sea in front of them. And onto that backdrop, observers near and far have projected all sorts of visions, long before a single building goes up.听
The singer has called his city a refuge for the African diaspora, and . He says听it will听boost Senegal鈥檚 economy and attract other foreign investments, including in tourism.听Journalists have compared it to Wakanda in the blockbuster 鈥淏lack Panther.鈥� Others deride the project as an unrealistic stunt.
But how about Akon鈥檚 neighbors in Mbodi猫ne? How will they benefit from the experiment next door?
鈥淣ever have we had a project this big, that not only Senegal is talking about but Africa and the world,鈥� says 30-year-old Joachim Jean-Marc Diouf, a leader of Mbodi猫ne鈥檚 youth association.
Like many young people in Mbodi猫ne, Mr. Diouf was born here but had to leave for secondary and college training. The closest universities and hospitals are in Mbour or the capital Dakar, both at least an hour away. It is one reason why many here eagerly await Akon City, which would have a school and a hospital offering free care to locals.
Akon鈥檚 ambition
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam was born in the U.S., but spent much of his childhood in Senegal before moving to New Jersey at age 11. In recent years, the R&B artist has added philanthropy to his portfolio, including a youth empowerment organization in Senegal, and a solar-energy nonprofit that operates across the continent.
He Akon City in 2018, in a shock to Mbodi猫ne鈥檚 6,000-strong population. It will be the first of many smart cities in Africa, Akon has said, built in part for the Black diaspora.
鈥淭he system back home treats them 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,鈥� Akon reporters last year. 鈥淪o if you鈥檙e coming from America or Europe or elsewhere in the diaspora and you feel that you want to visit Africa, we want Senegal to be your first stop.鈥�
Like Wakanda, Akon City aims to be technologically advanced, incorporating cutting-edge innovation into luxury resorts, high-rise apartments, recording studios, a stadium, and a helipad. It will be stretched over 2,000 acres of coastal land acquired from the Senegalese government, run on a cryptocurrency named Akoin, and generate its electricity through Akon鈥檚 project. Two-thirds of the budgeted $6 billion has been secured, according to builder KE International, but the only named investor is听Julius Mwale听鈥� a tech entrepreneur who also invested in听another 鈥渟mart city鈥� in Kenya.
Last September, Akon laid the first brick in a kickoff ceremony that saw journalists flood Mbodi猫ne. Construction, he said, would begin in 2021. For now, though, the land that will be transformed is still a plain cornfield.
Hopes for work
A few days before the public briefing, Akon visited the people of Mbodi猫ne to seek their blessings. Donning a blue kaftan, the star told young and old alike that Akon City would not succeed without their cooperation.
He won many hearts with the move: Choosing to meet residents before the official ceremony signaled respect and a willingness to tread with caution, both valued traits in West African culture.
Mr. Diouf, sporting a striped polo, admits it鈥檚 a bit disconcerting to suddenly be the center of attention. But for now, the excitement many feel outweighs that.
鈥淛ust like in many small villages in Senegal, we have many youths who don鈥檛 have jobs, and when the construction starts in 2021, we are expecting Akon to offer some important jobs to the youth of Mbodi猫ne,鈥� he says.
Paul Martin, director of the Akon City Project at KE International, writes in an email that they will 鈥渆mploy thousands of locals throughout the project lifecycle. Many of the jobs will be permanent.鈥�
Louise Sarr, a retired educator, is passionate about including Mbodi猫ne鈥檚 women in the opportunities ahead. No-nonsense but motherly, Ms. Sarr is revered here, and consults for a women鈥檚 association offering small loans for businesses.
鈥淲e know Akon may not be able to do everything that he has promised, but at least we want him to finance some of the projects that are the most important to us,鈥� she says. About 500 women in Mbodi猫ne need jobs, she says, and her informal group has presented plans for Akon to consider, such as fish-processing plants.
He鈥檚 promised to help, she says, and she hopes that he will keep his word. 鈥淲e saw that he has been very active with the young men, why not the women too?鈥�
鈥淲e are staying calm鈥�
Heavy criticism trails Akon City. Many have mocked it as delusional, and others question how it can symbolize 鈥淎frica鈥檚 future,鈥� when it has been designed by an .
Some say Akon鈥檚 vision will benefit only the wealthy and tourists. Already, some locals have : The land the city would听be built on was acquired by the government in the 90鈥檚 for tourism, residents say, after increased salinity levels made it difficult to grow anything. Some are still awaiting payment. Senegal鈥檚 tourism agency has not responded to questions about Akon City鈥檚 agreements to protect locals.
鈥淭he skepticism around Akon鈥檚 project is related to the fact that people are used to seeing big politicians promise but not deliver,鈥� says Az Momar Lo, a Dakar-based fact-checker and journalist with , whose requests to see the fine print of agreements between the government and Akon鈥檚 team went unanswered.
Then there鈥檚 the mystery of the location, although many point out that Mbodi猫ne is close to a recently built international airport. 鈥淢bodi猫ne itself [is] a village off the beaten path. When you take a small village and say you want to build a futuristic city, there is room for doubt,鈥� Mr. Lo says. 鈥淚f it were a known city like Dakar, maybe no one would be concerned. But Mbodi猫ne, why there?鈥�
In Mbodi猫ne, though, most are choosing optimism.
鈥淧eople have been saying maybe this project will not directly benefit the dwellers of Mbodi猫ne and maybe it will only benefit Akon and the capitalists. But as for us, we are staying calm,鈥� Mr. Diouf says. 鈥淲ith such a huge project like a futuristic city, it is only fitting that a futuristic village is beside it.鈥�
