Akon addressed over 3000 youths from across Africa attending a youth summit in Kigali. Here is part of his speech:
“As the leading role of Africa’s growth standpoint and the way system is now becoming the role model of the other African countries to adapt, you [Rwandans] have got to be proud of yourselves. It is a country like Rwanda that makes me proud to say that I am African. And I do not say this because I am a Rwandan like to say this because I am a Rwandan . And I do not say this everywhere I go. I thought about it but I would not do it. Because when you look at Africa as a whole, we really have to rebrand Africa. And I think it is going to be the job of the diaspora to do it. Because ultimately when you look at how Africa’s reputation has been smattered around the world, and how much the continent does to develop every other continent, Africa never gets the credit for it. But then you understand exactly why it is called the motherland, because mothers get all the turmoil and endure the difficult things in life just to raise us into who we are. But they never get the credit. So Africa becoming the motherland for raising every other country in the world including every super powers to exist, where it did not exist they would not be super. We have to be in a position where we have to understand our value. Africa has to understand the value. And our value is in the soil. So, agriculture is one the most important things and one of the strongest substance that Africa has to offer to the world. So we cannot take it for granted. But I guarantee that someone will make millions out of Agriculture and will have the kids build battery. Every kid from 16 to to 21 years old is trying to figure out how to go next room or their next product that would facilitate some green technology. But ultimately, it is not going to be a proof that agriculture is not really poor , I guess it is not going to need a voice from someone like me to tell you to be a part. This should be something automatic within your gene, your DNA is to grow. So as you grow, the country around you should grow with you. We as citizens have to be the driving force. We cannot depend on governments to do it for us. Their job is to lay down the law and make sure that there is accountability for things that we do. But in order for them to be successful, we have to be successful at what we do. They just give us the tools and the guideline and how we can do it properly to be ready to say that we are a country. But it is our world that we have to live in. So the citizens have to take charge to rebuild Africa, to take it to the next level, to make other people and investors be a part of what is happening here. I thought a lot about it when I was growing as an entertainer. And I said myself I do not want to be remembered for just singing and dancing. So ultimately I had to figure out something that I can do that will help create a legacy. And when I do the concert, I do not want to say a particular thing, but in the middle of the first song the energy is ended right now ,and because of that it is really a lot happier because the country has that there was not a country like such. And for the first time I was 20, because the lack of electricity they could not enjoy the moment. And that is how I said OK, that is something that has to be done, because not only been my hotel rooms that I wanna go hour, it is hard to operate in a country that does not have any electricity , it is hard to develop any kind of distraction, when to begin, so Akon write Africa, it was an initiative but when the diaspora stand . ok, my mother and father have been African raised in Africa but born in America and how would I be able to get back to well. That willing to work, that is one word, that is more incapable of working . We have to find systems. Because you have to survive. And you have to be able to grow, you have to be able to feed your family, you have to be in a comfortable setting, you want to see your mom and dad. If you stay in one place and do not want to move that is not going to be good, but on the other hand when you have so many youths that is , that is more than capable we have to find systems that allow them to work and allow them to build ones and real Africa construction.”
