Parakou

Kidjo fled Benin for Paris in 1983, working as a backing singer before striking out as a solo artist with 1990's Parakou - a vibrant and innovative fusion of African and Western influences, that showcased her soulful, emotive voice.

Demonstrations also happened in the cities of Cotonou, Parakou and three other towns.

Posts on social media showed demonstrations also taking place in the central city of Parakou and three other towns.

AfricArxiv seeks to improve the visibility of African science by helping academics share their work quickly, say co-founders Justin Ahinon, a web developer and student in applied statistics at the National School of Statistics, Planning and Demography in Parakou, Benin, West Africa, and Jo Havemann, a trainer at the science communication consultancy, Access 2 Perspectives, based in Berlin, Germany.