Bob Marley Memorial: IAUE Students, Lecturers Advocate Social Revolution

The 40th anniversary of the death of late Reggae maestro, Robert Nesta Marley was celebrated amidst fanfare and deep reflections by the students and lecturers of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt with a call for social revolution and adherence to the ideals that the Jamaican born artist stood for.
The celebration which was at the instance of the post graduates students of the department of Political Science on the 11th of May at the Nyesom Wike Centre  of Excellence at the University under the theme,’ Reggae music and the Pan African Movement’.
Delivering their lectures the two guest speakers at the event highlighted the significant contributions of  Bob Marley to the liberation of the black race from the shackles of colonialism and imperialism.
Worlu Nwene who delivered the first lecture did a content analysis of the messages of Bob Marley and their impact on contemporary realities. He pointed out that, ‘Bob Marley used music as a platform to advocate for social justice in the society . “
In his own lecture, Dr Steve Wordu of the department of Sociology described Bob as ‘a visionary and bearer of the social burdens of his times’.
He said in the face of global political inequalities, Bob Marley used his music to confront the forces of oppression and send signals for the vigilance of the black race against the forces that undermined their dignity as a people.
Also speaking , one of the organisers of the event, Chief Chris Akani called on African leaders to resist being used as stooges of the western societies by institutionalising the principles advocated by Bob Marley in his music.
In her views, one of the post graduate students of Political science, Miss Vera Oborchi who spoke with newsmen said the messages of Bob Marley rekindled hope for the liberation of the black race and urged the younger generation to key into Bob Marley’s  philosophy to secure their future.
The highlight of the event was the, ‘ one love parade led by Ras Dickson, the grand patron of the Rastafarian movement in Nigeria.

By: Taneh Beemene