False! Sierra Leone has not banned Akon’s music

Claim: A viral post by Born to Blog suggests that Sierra Leoneans have decided to ban Akon’s music until he delivers the 50,000 solar units he promised. 

Verdict: False. There is no evidence that Sierra Leone has banned Akon’s music. The official Entertainment Ambassador, Kao Denero, denied any knowledge of such an action, and the source of the viral post did not provide proof when contacted.

Full Text

A viral post by Born2Blog on Facebook claims that Sierra Leoneans have decided to ban Akon’s music until he delivers the 50,000 solar units he allegedly promised. The post reads:

“Bra we nr happy for u ooo n 98% of we the Sierra Leoneans don decide for ban u music na Salone until u bring 50 thousand solar wa u …”

The claim links the supposed “ban” of Akon’s music directly to the perceived delay in fulfilling his pledge to provide solar infrastructure in Sierra Leone. 

Akon, through his initiative Akon Lighting Africa, had previously promised to deliver solar-powered street lights and traffic lights in the country (Read more here).

The post has generated a range of reactions on social media, with some users expressing frustration at the unfulfilled promise, while others reacted humorously. The discussion under the post suggests that the “ban” is more a reflection of public sentiment and satire than an official action.

Before verifying the claim, it is essential to note that the viral narrative is framed around the failure to deliver on the solar promise, which is what sparked the assertion that Akon’s music has been banned in Sierra Leone.

DUBAWA decided to verify this because Akon is a prominent international figure with a track record of philanthropic work, especially in Africa. Misrepresenting his promises or suggesting diplomatic tensions can spark misleading narratives or undue backlash. Hence, the need to distinguish between legitimate scrutiny and exaggerated outrage, especially when public sentiment is tied to misquoted figures.

Verification

To verify the claim, DUBAWA contacted Sierra Leone’s Entertainment Ambassador, Kao Denero, who clarified, stating, “Nothing that I know of.” This directly indicates that there is no official decision by the government or entertainment authorities to ban Akon’s music in Sierra Leone.

Additionally, DUBAWA contacted the Facebook page Born2Blog, the source of the viral post, for clarification and evidence to support its assertion. However, no response was received at the time of publication.

Akon’s actual pledge

In actuality, Akon promised to support Sierra Leone with 5,000 solar street lights and 2,500 traffic lights as part of his Lighting Africa Initiative, under President Julius Maada Bio’s agenda. This was geared towards rewarding  President Maada Bio for his dynamic leadership by supporting his agenda and the people of Sierra Leone. This was reported by the  State House press release as well as the Africanews report.

State House Press

No public or media source documents Akon’s promise of 50,000 solar units to Sierra Leone. The posted figure is wrong and substantially higher than the verified proposal.

No evidence of ban movement
There are no credible news reports or public statements suggesting the Sierra Leonean public or government is banning Akon’s music. The claim of a music ban appears to be hyperbolic or satirical rather than factual. 

Conclusion

The viral claim that Sierra Leone has banned Akon’s music until he delivers 50,000 solar units is unfounded. No official authority has confirmed this decision, and the Entertainment Ambassador explicitly denied any knowledge of it. With the claimant failing to provide evidence, the post should be regarded as misinformation circulating online.