‘Nigerians are the most intelligent people on earth’ – Akon

By Tolulope Oke

Senegalese-American singer Akon has praised Nigerians for their ingenuity and achievements in music, describing them as “the most intelligent people on the planet.”

The music star made the remark during a recent episode of the We Need To Talk podcast, where he also reflected on his collaboration with the late pop icon Michael Jackson. Akon described working with Jackson as the “proudest moment” of his career.

“My photo with Michael Jackson is my most proudest photo. I was already a full-blown celebrity at the point the photo was taken. But I am a child compared to this man. He is like everybody’s idol,” Akon said.

The 53-year-old singer also spoke about his support for African music, noting that he had signed several Nigerian Afrobeats artists through his involvement with Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment, which included stars such as P-Square and Wizkid.

“Nigerians are the most intelligent people on the planet. They have done amazingly well with Afrobeats,” he added, praising the global success of Nigerian music.