Akon, Davido among top musicians set to open AFCON 2017 in Gabon

Gabon

Africa is ready to open the prestigious continental football competition, the Africa Cup of Nations in the Gabonese capital Libreville on Saturday, January 14.

Stade de l'amitie is ready for the opening #CAN2017 pic.twitter.com/FGsiIPMRt6
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 14, 2017

Top international and African musicians will thrill the continent at the opening ceremony that will be watched from the 40,000 seater Stade de l’Amitie by millions of people worldwide.

American-born Senegalese singer and record producer Akon will headline the ceremony together with Nigerian recording artist Davido whose songs including Gobe and Skelewu have gained popularity across Africa.

Thanks to His excellency President Ali Bongo Ondimba I can't wait to grace the stage at the AFCON opening ceremony! ⚽️🌍 God bless Gabon 🇬🇦 pic.twitter.com/zMpf04Ula8
— Davido (@iam_Davido) January 13, 2017

Tanzania’s Bongo Flava recording artist Diamond Platnumz will also perform alongside Nigerian singer Flavour who thrilled the audience at the 25th edition of the annual CAF Awards in Abuja last week with his popular song Obianuju among others.

Popular Cameroonian musician Franko whose recent hit song Coller la Petite gripped the whole continent will perform alongside Lumino and Mohombi from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Franco-Senegalese rapper Booba is also in Gabon to grace the stage among other popular artistes in Africa including Serge Beynaud from the Ivory Coast.

There will be fireworks and gymnastic display at the stadium to usher in the 31st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba visited the stadium hosting the opening ceremony in Libreville on Friday where he met some of the musicians like Akon, Davido and Diamond Platnumz who expressed readiness for the event.

AFCON2017 : Akon, Davido, Flavour and Diamond Platnumz to rock opening ceremony SWAG_Ghana CAF_Online pic.twitter.com/j9MvP3kiPG
— Sports World Ghana (sportsworldgh) January 14, 2017

The opening ceremony will end with the first match of the competition between Gabon and Guinea-Bissau at 1600 GMT followed by Burkina Faso against Cameroon at 1900 GMT.

The Africa Cup of Nations 2017 promises to be very interesting as sixteen teams clash in 32 matches to determine the best of the best in the continent.