Koffi Olomide, the legendary Congolese musician, recently shed light on his relationship with fellow icon, Awilo Longomba, addressing the long-standing perception of rivalry between the two.
In his words:
“Awilo was never my rival. We were just two Congo brothers destined to put Congo on the musical world map… and we won!”
Koffi reminisced about their era, comparing their impact on African music to the dominance of Nigerian superstars Wizkid and Davido today:
“Many people saw us as rivals because we were in our different worlds doing our thing. Awilo had the vibe of the club banger, while I took charge of the romantic African Frenchman style. Together, we represented Congo’s diversity and showed the world what Francophone Africa could do.”
Their mission went beyond personal success – it was about changing the narrative surrounding Francophone African musicians, who were often underrated on the global stage:
“Francophone musicians in Africa have long been berated. Awilo and I took it upon ourselves to change that story.
“We won at the end, thanks to the support of Africa and countries like Nigeria who gave us the respect we deserved.”
Koffi concluded with gratitude and advice for the next generation:
“Thank you, Africa. Thank you, Nigeria. We hope the new generation of African Francophone artists learns from us. One love. ❤️🕊️”
This heartfelt reflection from Koffi Olomide reminds us of the power of collaboration, unity, and a shared vision to elevate African music on the world stage.
Pix above (L-R): Koffi Olomide, Awilo Longomba
