Forbes’ list of the Top 10 African Acts For 2017 have been released and it features the following music acts; Akon, Black Coffee Hugh Masekela, Don Jazzy, Tinashe, Jidenna, Wizkid, Davido, Sarkodie, Mtukudzi. Forbes factored in their endorsement value, popularity, show rates, sales, awards, YouTube views, appearance in newspapers, investment, social media presence, influence and many more.
Profile of the top 10
1. AKON
Akon has over 35 million albums sold worldwide. He has won numerous awards including five Grammy Award nominations and has 45 Billboard Hot 100 songs under his belt. He tops the list according to Forbes Africa.
2. BLACK COFFEE, SOUTH AFRICA
The multi-award-winning artist’s real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo. He was born in South Africa’s house music province, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and raised in the Eastern Cape province, where Nelson Mandela hailed from, before moving back to KZN to study music.
3. HUGH MASEKELA, SOUTH AFRICA
Hugh was born in Witbank, east of Johannesburg. He has released more than 43 albums and performed with Marvin Gaye, Dizzy Gillespie, The Byrds, Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Miriam Makeba.
4. DON JAZZY, NIGERIA
Don Jazzy is ranked fourth richest in Africa and also first in Nigeria. Like many artists, his real name is Michael Collins Ajereh, and he started playing music as a child in church before moving to the UK to pursue his career.
5. TINASHE, ZIMBABWE-AMERICAN
Tinashe was a child model by the age of three. The twenty-four-year-old sang before she could talk and made her first appearance in 2000 in the film Cora Unashamed. Her voice also starred in the cartoon feature film The Polar Express alongside Oscar-winning actor, Tom Hanks.
6. JIDENNA, NIGERIAN-AMERICAN
By the age of 10, Jidenna Theodore Mobisson knew he wanted to do music but was afraid to tell his father who wanted him to be an engineer. He is ranked sixth according to Forbes Africa.
7. WIZKID, NIGERIA
Wizkid is arguably currently the uncrowned king of African music. Grammy Award-winning artist, Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beatz, danced to his songs Ojuelegba and Caro, with Keys posting a video on her Instagram account with the caption, “This song makes me happy”. Kylie Jenner also posted a video of herself dancing to Wizkid’s music on Snapchat.
8. DAVIDO, NIGERIA
Davido has claimed a high status in just five years. He said it was people like P-Square and D’Banj who made him believe this was possible. He became famous for his widely acclaimed 2012 debut album “Omo Baba Olowo”.
9. SARKODIE, GHANA
Michael Owusu Addo started out as an underground rapper and through the help of Duncan Williams, his former manager, his career was launched. Staying true to his identity, he is a big advocate of Azonto, a Ghanaian genre that is said to have been born out of Kpanlogo, a traditional dance.
His first single off his fourth album, Mewu, sold almost 4,000 copies on the first day of its release in Ghana. He was also the first Ghanaian to win a BET award.
10. OLIVER MTUKUDZI, ZIMBABWE
Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi has 65 albums under his belt, more than the legendary Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It’s a remarkable career stretching back 41 years with songs that have enlivened parties all over the world. He is ranked 10th richest musician in Africa.
2015 Presidential Election Debates to be hosted by The Murtala Muhammed Foundation
The Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), in partnership with CNBC Africa, Forbes Africa and BusinessDay, will host the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the two frontline political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to live debates to present their proposed agenda to the electorate.
The debates tagged “2015 Presidential Election Debates”, shall feature Architect Namadi Sambo, PDP’s Vice Presidential candidate and his APC counterpart, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN in the first leg of the debate, while the second leg of the debate shall feature Dr Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR and Major General (Rtd) Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, the presidential candidates of the PDP and APC respectively. The debates are slated to hold in Abuja, on February 8, 2015.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, the debates have been expressly designed to elevate the level of political discourse in our country, enhance participatory democracy as well as re-focus attention on national growth and development during this election period.
“We believe at this point in time that our people should focus more on issues-based election and critically scrutinize potential leaders before making up their minds on who they will vote for. We, along with our partners see this debate as a platform for the candidates to present their programmes so the electorate would make their choice on whom to vote for in the elections,” Oyebode said.
“The need for a debate is non-negotiable given that the development of democracy in Nigeria has increased voter sophistication,” she concluded.
Commenting on its partnership with the Foundation on the Nigeria Pre-Election Debates 2015, Frederic Van de vyver, the Executive Director of CNBC West Africa, said that the debates will attempt to address the major economic issues facing Nigeria.
“We look forward to conducting a robust debate on the major economic and business issues facing Africa’s largest economy on the eve of one of the most important election since the end of military rule in 1999.”
During the Debates, the candidates will be asked to outline their general vision and development agenda for Nigeria on six thematic areas of education, health, security, job creation, economy, governance, the rule of law and foreign policy.
The debates will provide opportunity for candidates to spend quality time with potential voters, as well as offer them a collegial, conducive and credible platform to showcase their agenda for national development.
About MMF
The Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with a vision to improve the living conditions of Africans by contributing to reduction of poverty and limitation of conflict, while promoting self-reliance and self-fulfillment.
The Billionaire Who Bounced Back! Femi Otedola covers new issue of Forbes Africa Magazine.
Nigerian oil magnate and Chairman of Forte Oil and Gas, Femi Otedola has covered the latest issue of Forbes Africa Magazine. Captioned “The Billionaire Who Bounced Back”, Otedola became at least $398m richer between March 3 and June 2.