Rapper’s Scheme to Create a Real Life Wakanda in Africa Ends in Failure
14th July 2025
There have been numerous ‘back to Africa’ movements over the years, usually promoted by leftist activists. Often these movements are driven by fantasies within the black American community of exporting the best of US life, economy, technology and infrastructure into Africa and far away from the “oppression” of white people.
Of course, it’s white people that created the majority of the marvels that define western civilization; the rest of the world simply seeks to imitate this model, often with limited success.
Back to Africa travelers most often come to this shocking realization after encountering a multitude of struggles when trying to assimilate into African societies. The limitations and lack of easily available resourced in Africa are stark. There is no monolithic culture with unified ideals in African nations, they are deeply tribal and view black Americans as distinctly separate and alien despite sharing similar skin color.
Black Americans also run up against the social disapprobation of their being descended from slaves.
Instead of accepting this reality and moving on, activists have proposed new projects that seek to build a kind of isolated bubble of wealth within an African enclave – They are so desperate for Wakanda to be real that they are hoping to conjure it into being.
The Right believe it when they see it. The Left see it when they believe it. Guess which one Reality favors.
Rap artist Akon, real name Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam, launched such an endeavor seven years ago with the intent to “free black Americans” from the racism of the west and bring the Marvel movie Utopia to life.
The $6 billion construction effort, called Akon City, was started with the support of the government of Senegal in 2018 and was also supposed to adopt a new cryptocurrency called “Akoin” (the imagination of modern artists is truly staggering). Sitting on Senegal’s Atlantic Coast, Akon’s high-tech, eco-friendly city was supposed to run entirely on renewable energy.
Of course, rappers are known for their opportunism, not their grand vision or leadership. Both Akon City and the Akoin project have met with failure, with Akon city being scrapped by Senegal and the cryptocurrency facing investment setbacks and accusations of mismanagement.
Of course, rappers are perfectly qualified to run major projects and organizations successfully–do they not have the Magic Skin Color that instantly makes them experts in everything?