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VIDEO Top African singer DJ Arafat laid to rest; fans open coffin to pay tribute

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  • Published Sep 1, 2019 1:53 pm KST
  • Updated Sep 1, 2019 1:53 pm KST

Ivory Coast's police officers stand guard during the funerals of late Ivorian singer DJ Arafat at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on August 30, 2019. (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP)

Fans of Ivorian singer DJ Arafat opened his coffin Saturday to take photos of the corpse, prompting police to fire teargas after an overnight funeral concert where tens of thousands paid tribute to the one of West Africa's most popular stars.

Following hours of musical homage, tears, and solemn reminiscence at Abijan's main stadium, events took a dark turn as fans battled police preventing them from entering the cemetery where the singer's family gave him a private burial.

But several did make into the Williamsville cemetery in Abidjan's working-class Adjame district, forced open the fresh grave and coffin, and took photos and videos that they shared on social media. Police fired teargas to disperse the grave profaners, and several people were injured, witnesses told AFP.

"We wanted to see the body of our idol before the tomb was sealed," said one fan, who did not give a name.

Ivorian singer Tina Glamour (seen on the giant screen) pays her respects to his late son Ivorian singer DJ Arafat, during his funeral ceremony at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on August 31, 2019. (Photo by SIA KAMBOU / AFP)

The coffin of late Ivorian singer DJ Arafat is exposed during his funeral ceremony at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on August 31, 2019. (Photo by SIA KAMBOU / AFP)

Throughout the night, A-list African stars such as Davido, Sidiki Diabate, Fally Ipupa and Serge Beynaud had sung in memory of DJ Arafat, who died aged 33 on August 12 after a motorbike crash in Abidjan.

"The ceremony was really moving," said Raymonde Nguessan. "We have lost a great man."

Another fan, Samuel Kablan, tearfully declared: "Arafat was my life, my source of inspiration."

Culture Minister Maurice Bandaman conferred on DJ Arafat the national order of cultural merit for "his immense contribution to the artistic radiance" of Ivory Coast.

On Saturday morning, before the private burial, DJ Arafat's casket was placed at the centre of the 35,000-capacity Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, drawing wild applause before the mood turned somber and many burst into tears.

The singer, whose given name was Ange Didier Houon, was one of the Francophone world's most popular African musicians, considered the "king" of coupe-decale (cut and run) ― an Ivorian form of dance music.

DJ Arafat won artist of the year in the Coupe-Decale Awards of 2016 and 2017, and had been named "Best African Artist" in 2012 at the pan-African Kora Music Awards. (AFP)