Most Powerful Contemporary Africans

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent,the land of various talents ,in this land of Africa there people with proper influence to the world and amongst them there most powerful celebrities,today we list some of the most powerful celebrities in African continent..

1.Youssou N'dour, Age: 51, Senegalese, Musician

Youssou N'dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist, songwriter, composer, occasional actor, businessman and a politician. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa,During the course of his career, N’dour has toured with stars like Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman and Dido and has been the subject of two award-winning films- Retour à Gorée and Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love. Also a shrewd businessman, the Grammy-award winner owns a Nightclub, a record label and a Television station. The UNICEF ambassador has been vocal in his campaign for an end to the humanitarian crisis in the horn of Africa. 

2.Didier Drogba 

Didier Drogba is an Ivorian footballer who plays as a forward for Galatasaray in the Süper Lig. He is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team. He is best known for his career at Chelsea, for whom he scored more goals than any other foreign player and is currently the club's fourth highest goal scorer of all time. In October 2012, he was voted by Chelsea supporters as the club's greatest ever player.His key attributes include his physical strength, ability in the air, and his ability to retain possession of the ball.In 2009, he donated his $5 million endorsement fee to the construction of a hospital in Abidjan, his hometown. 

3.Akon ,38.

 

Akon is a Senegalese American R&B and hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer and businessman. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first single from his debut album Trouble. Co-owns Kon Live, an Interscope-backed record label which helped jumpstart the career of Lady Gaga and T-Pain; Also owns Konvict clothing. Maintains strong bond with home country, founded the Konfidence Foundation which promotes education and health causes in Senegal and elsewhere in Africa.

4.Wole Soyinka,77.

Is a Nigerian writer, notable especially as a playwright and poet; he was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first person in Africa and the diaspora to be so honored.

5.Angelique Kidjo,51. 

Is a Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva".The BBC has included Kidjo in its list of the African continent's 50 most iconic figures.The Guardian has listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World and Kidjo is the first woman to be listed among "The 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa" by Forbes Magazine.

6.Salif Keita,62 

is an afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the "Golden Voice of Africa" but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. This royal heritage meant that under the Malian caste system, he should never have become a singer, which was deemed to be a griot’s role.

7.Yvone Chaka chaka,46.

  

Dubbed the "Princess of Africa", Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 20 years. Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "thank you mister dj", "I Cry for Freedom", "Makoti", "Motherland" and the ever-popular "Umqombothi" ("African Beer") ensured Yvonne's stardom.
The song "Umqombothi" was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.Debuted on the stage at the age of 18;

 8.Femi Kuti

 

a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer ,The eldest son of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has his father’s fiery blood flowing through his veins. Toured and performed extensively with his father while he was alive, but his biggest break came with his father’s death in 1999 when the Afrobeat mantle fell on him. 

9.Oliver Mtukudzi

 

Before the year runs out, the Zimbabwean legend will collaborate with Alicia Keys on an album that’ll sensitize African mothers on the importance of HIV programmes. Mtukudzi, 59, is the most popular musician from Zimbabwe to have found substantial success and acclaim in international circles. He sings in Zimbabwe’s dominant Shona language about political violence and struggles of everyday life and has released over 45 albums till date which have sold millions of copies. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Eastern and Southern Africa.  

10.Samuel Eto'o                    

  

In August 2012, the Cameroonian striker left Inter Milan to pitch tent with Russian club, Anzhi Makhachkala in a deal that has earned him the title of not just the highest earning footballer in the world, but the highest-paid athlete in professional sports. Estimated salary: $29 million per season. The four-time African player of the year also enjoys lucrative endorsements from brands like Ford and Puma. 

11.

Haile Gebrselassie, 38, Ethiopian, Athlete

The world’s number 1 long distance runner has won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively. He has also won the Great Manchester run in England for four times, and boasts 2 Olympic Gold medals for 10,000 Metre races. But Gebrselassie is still searching for gold. After announcing his retirement in November last year, he rescinded on his decision a few days later. Reason: Plans to run in the 2012 London Olympics before bowing out. Gebrselassie is a brand ambassador for Johnnie Walker.