Celebrations marking the anniversary of birth of the late legendary reggae singer Bob Marley are being held around the world this week. Marley would have been 61 years old on Monday, February 6th. This year the celebration is being held in Ghana, where concerts are planned in Accra and Kumasi. The theme of the program is “Africa Unite,” and it was organized by the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations, under the auspices of the Ghanaian Ministry of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City.
Prince Ariel Yahzie is the promoter of this year’s Bob Marley birthday celebration. He explains the importance of the celebration to English to Africa reporter James Butty. “We want to remember one of our greats. He was a singer but he was a philosopher as well as a preacher. He spread the word. He was a true minister. And all today we still take his teachings to heart and learn from songs that we have heard over and over. So I can’t really narrow it down. But those of us who have been inspired by Bob Marley due to his music and everything that he stood for, we see the importance to acknowledge his work and the children that are coming up today to be aware of his work.”
Yahzie says Ghana was chosen for this year’s Bob Marley birthday anniversary celebration because Marley’s wife has a connection there. “It just so happens that Nana Rita Marley, his wife, lives here in Ghana, or should I say she has permanent residence here and businesses and NGOs as well. So it’s only logical that she would bring it here.”
Yahzie says the artists at Friday’s concert include Bob Marley’s wife, Rita, Nigerian artists Two Face and VIP, Culture featuring Joseph Hill, and local Ghanaian performers and Osibisa.