@BowsacNoodle The 5-string, I am not sure. I know the original akontings and banjos were usually a three or four string instrument, sometimes with a drone string.

The modern 5 string banjo wasn't invented by any specific black or African that I've seen claimed. Only the general statement. And Joel Sweeney's five-string design is pretty well-documented and seems to have been novel compared to the slave instrument. And certainly the Scruggs and clawhammer picking styles are more strongly associated with Earl Scruggs and old-time Appalachian mountain pickers than any black group.

You can see videos of akonting players on YouTube pretty readily and the playing style and nature of instrument aren't really recognizable. That said, it's hard to track anything firm down owing to the lack of a form of writing or historical documentation. Especially given the absolutely black-obsessed nature of music history scholarship.