June 25, 2021
By Ilyasa Baa
Members of the Sierra Leone Reggae Movement with sponsorship from Ripsta Culture International and Shain Foundation in the Netherlands have commemorated the eighteenth anniversary of the death of their colleague, Amara Kabba who drowned at Aberdeen Beach when he came to his country of birth from Holland to launch his Confront It album.
The commemoration ceremony took place at Court Barray, Mountain cut in Freetown on 22nd June and was graced by stakeholders of reggae music who shared their experiences with the late brother and the live band sector.
In her welcome address, the National Coordinator, Ripsta Culture, Ms. Slyvia Johnson commended those that graced the occasion saying their attendance demonstrated that they have love for reggae music. She expressed the need for the love shown during the programme to continue whiles further calling on musicians across the country to be united and promote peace and love in the country.
Chairman of the Sierra Leone Reggae Movement, Issato Maddi aka Jahman said he knew Amara Kabba from childhood in Makeni where they started music. He narrated that the Kabba Brothers who released “Tamaraneh” and Paddle did not start their career with reggae music. He said he was surprised to see Amara Kabba with dreadlocks when he came to Freetown from Holland. “Man I have come to launch my album,” Amara had told Jahman.
The Public Relations Officer of the Movement, Myklyn Sesay alias Fisher of “Salone Tiday Nor to Salone Yesterday” fame commended the founders of Ripsta, Sorie Obai Kamara and Shain Foundation, AnneMarie Tiebosch for their supports towards reggae artists in Sierra Leone.
The country largely benefited from the peace and unity campaign undertaken by Ripsta and Shain together with the Reggae Union which is their offspring following the 2007 crucial general elections through their nationwide Guitar Better than Gun project.