earing a light blue and white t-shirt, black trousers, white sneakers and a stone (earring) in his right ear, Senegalese born American musical star Alieu Thiam, alias Akon, drew nearly a 1000 persons at every street corner of Monrovia he passed Tuesday in an open-top Hummer jeep.

 

Liberians from all walks of life went to catch a glimpse of and shake hands with the young musician invited by Jewish-American GSM mobile company, Cellcom, which reportedly paid him and crew the grandiose sum of US$100,000.00 for a few hours’ performance at Liberia’s famed S. K. Doe Sports Complex! Fans ran behind the Hummer jeep as Cellcom proudly advertised him while on their way to the company’s head office on Capital Bye-Pass in Monrovia; where he addressed few journalists.

 

International music sensation Akon, escorted by Cellcom's Willis Knuckles shortly before his performance at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville. Photos and story by Mae Azango, FPA

The musical star told the press that he’s thinking of starting a branch of his musical foundation, “Confidence” in Liberia to help tap the talents of young musicians. He informed the press that his objective of establishing the foundation was and remains offering global exposure to young African musicians, especially those who do not have the means get their music heard.  If the branch in Liberia starts, it would be the most recent. Branches already exist in several African countries, including Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola.  

 

The huge crowds that turned out to greet Akon had shamed those who doubted that he would have received such a tremendous welcome because of the seemingly high fares for tickets to attend his show. Despite the high cost of living in Liberia, the VIP tickets sold at US$100.00 were finished before mid-day; so too were around VIP sold at US$75.00. Only the lowest sold tickets at US$20.00, for around the field were still on sale up to show time at 3pm.

 

Maima James, one of the fans said she rather use her children’s food money to go and watch Akon; even if my children will not eat today, I don’t care, but I must see at all cost” Likewise Kollie Mulbah, who came all the way from Lofa to catch a glimpse of this famous artist, saying “I have been keeping my savings earned from the rock crushing in Lofa to witness this show. This is once in a life time experience, so I have to make use of it!”

Fans gather outside the Antoinette Tubman Stadium for a rival show held by Cellcom rival, Lone Star GSM, the same day Akon was due to perform.

Another fan, Mr. Joseph Togba of Monrovia said he was taking his family of four to see the musical show “I bought four US$20.00 tickets for my wife, two children and myself to see for ourselves, instead of hearing ‘they say.’ ”

 

Nevertheless, the show which began on a positive note at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex at three p. m with other local artists was disrupted before 8 p. m, This was due to the outbreak of the crowd who jumped on the stage when Akon came up to perform that he could not complete the second song and left immediately for his flight at the Roberts International Airport in Margibi County. The disappointed crowd left blaming Cellcom for poor security arrangement on the Field, with some regretting to have wasted their money in the first place.

 

Akon arrived in the country Tuesday morning at 3:30 a.m through the RIA and was met upon arrival by delegations from both Cellcom and the Senegalese community in Liberia, few journalists and some fans who braved the morning cold. They all went to RIA in a convoy of nearly forty vehicles.

 

Quite interestingly the, Lone Star GSM company was also sponsoring another musical extravaganza at the ATS in Monrovia on the same date as Cellcom’s sponsored show. This didn’t go down well with Cellcom who said it was a sabotage to their business to have two musical shows on the same day.

 

FPA spoke with the head of the group staging the Lone Star sponsored musical extravaganza, Madam Magdalene E. Dagoseh, president of an organization called Women of Liberia. She said their program which brought together 146 artists of both gospel and circular music under the theme “Liberia Renaissance: Changing in minds and Attitude” was held in honor of Mother Mary Brownell for her humanitarian role in Liberia. 

 

Madam Dagoseh noted that the objective of the ceremony was to sensitize the citizens on sexual exploitation, HIV/AIDS, violence against women and small arms. When asked why did the two shows clashed, she replied “We planed this program since the eight of March, which was to be our women’s day but had a change and decided to have it on the 15th of April,” adding “we wrote all the GSM companies including Cellcom but only Lone Star promised to support us with promotional materials and not financial.”

 

The ATS show was also promotional for Lone Star in that participants wore hats, vests and t-shirts with Lone Star labeled on them. These participants, comprising women, students and motorcyclists marched from the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Sinkor to the ATS on UN Drive.  

 

Akon, born Aliuane Badara Thiam is a native of Senegal and highly-rated hip-hop, contemporary R&B and Rhythm and Blues singer, songwriter, occasional rapper and record producer. Akon rose to fame in 2004 following the release of his single “Locked Up” from his debut album trouble. His second album, Konvicted, earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the single “Smack That”. He is founder of Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution. He is well know for singing hooks and has over 130 guest appearances and 21 billboard Hot 100 songs to his credit. He is the only artist to ever accomplish the feat of holding both number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.