He is definitely 'the bomb' in African literature.... his latest short story is perfect... a Catholic Priest goes on a Dante-ish "guided tour" of Lagos, deeper and deeper in the shit (bad language is used, and if a Jesuit priest can use words like shit, then so the heck can I, even though it still feels bad).  The whole story I am wondering where this is going, and then the classic short story twist at the end was absolutely brilliantly understated but perfect for an economist who studies Africa- I won't give it away (hint: Nathan Nunn and Leonard Wantchekon), but after spending several hours preparing my class on African Economic Development (which starts tomorrow) I found myself wondering why I don't just assign the story!

Anyway, for your amusement, Akpan mentions a song by Awilo Longomba, from Congo called Coupe Dibamba.  Not my preferred style in African music (though I like Kassav'), but definitely you can hear this blaring out of the boits de nuit de Ouagadougou!