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Sipepisiwe Moyo, [email protected]

ZIGGY Marley, the son of the legendary reggae musician Bob Marley, has shared his memories of visiting Zimbabwe with his father in 1980, when the country celebrated its independence from British rule.

Ziggy, who was 12 years old at the time, said it was his first time in Africa and a special moment in his life.

He also witnessed how his father’s music inspired the freedom fighters who fought against colonialism.

Bob Marley, who passed away in 1981 from a rare skin cancer condition, was a global icon of Jamaican culture and Rastafarian spirituality.

His music blended elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, and he was famous for his distinctive vocal and song-writing style.

He accepted an invitation to perform at Zimbabwe’s first independence celebrations on 18 April in 1980, at Rufaro Stadium. His songs were used by the guerilla forces who played his cassettes in the bush during the war.

His presence was a symbol of solidarity and liberation.

Ziggy, who also became a successful musician himself, leading the family band“Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers” until 2002, accompanied his father on this historic trip.

He recalled the experience in an interview on CNN.

“We went to Zimbabwe with him  and my brother Steve to celebrate its independence from British rule, that trip was my first time in Africa”, he said.

He added that some of the freedom fighters came to visit them in their hotel room and showed them their weapons and told them how his father’s music motivated them to fight against the colonial powers.

Bob Marley

“As a kid that kind of adulation made an impression on me of how music can be so powerful,” he said.

The late Bob Marley also had the chance to visit Mutoko and mingle with people. He also released a song titled Zimbabwe alongside a track named Africa Unite as he advocated for the fight against colonialism since some African countries were still under colonial rule by then.