Senegalese-American singer Akon has lauded Nigerians for their musical originality and successes, calling them “the most intelligent people on the planet.”

The music singer made the remark on a recent episode of the We Need To Talk podcast, where he also discussed his work with the late pop superstar Michael Jackson.

Akon acknowledged his collaboration 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 further 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. (Daily Sun)