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A renowned ‘Rastafarian’ and fan of Bob Marley, Engr. Gospel Obolo, has stressed that “Rastafarians all over the world are not drug addicts and irresponsible as erroneously believed and paraded by some people who don’t like the late Reggae icon, who is highly loved and respected globally.”
While fielding questions from newsmen at his five-star hospitality outfit in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, recently, Obolo lamented that people have negative impression about lovers of Reggae music and Rastafarians in general and “often look down on them as Indian hemp (marijuana) smokers,” while “deliberately refusing to highlight the positive side of Rastafarians.”
He noted that Marley “actually smoked marijuana (India hemp) while still alive, but that never made him to be useless. He was a great Reggae musician and highly respected in the industry.
“His music was very philosophical and prophetic; always sending good messages ahead of time.
“He was not a gangster, but a great prophet of his generation. He had eleven children who also indulge in smoking marijuana; but all the eleven of them are doing excellently well in their chosen professional callings.
“India hemp (marijuana) is an herb (plant) created by God for man to use and consume, but certainly not to abuse it,” he said.
Obolo said, “Anything created by God is not meant to be abused by man, even food, if you abuse it, would certainly have negative effect on you. Smoking does not make one a good musician and smoking does not add any value to one’s professional calling.
“Bob Marley focused his message on the total liberation of the black man in the world. He believed in black man and fought for the total freedom of the black.
“He also believed that since God never caged the black man and never put the black man in bondage, no race, especially the whites should tried such inhumanity to man.
“He fought alongside with the former President of South Africa, Dr. Nelson Mandela, to liberate South Africa and South Africa eventually got her independence,” he said.
Engr. Obolo, an investor in the hospitality industry, is the managing director and chief executive officer (MD/CEO) of Renew Empire Nig. Ltd., as well as the Renew Group of Companies in the Republic of Turkey. He is a globally known operator and manager of five-star hotels, night clubs and event centers in Europe and Africa.
The Bayelsa State-born hospitality guru said “it’s very unfortunate that Nigeria is not in the list of globally recognized Reggae countries that could parade notable Rastafarians,’ noting that “even Ghana is ahead of Nigeria in Reggae ranking in the world, image as small as Ghana is ahead of Nigeria in Reggae industry.
“I have come a long way in the hospitality industry. I have also decided to come to Port Harcourt to develop the potentials of hospitality industry. I therefore solicit for total support and cooperation of all and sundry,” he said.
Also, a former president of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in South/South Region, Mr. Arthur Pepple Jnr, said “Engr. Obolo is really great man in hospitality industry, who loves the late great Reggae star, Bob Marley and is ready to do everything within his reach to promote him globally.
“Investors like Engr. Obolo are few in the hospitality industry and they are silent achievers in the world. To me, Bob Marley was not only a Reggae star of our generation; but a great prophet who believed in equality for all irrespective of your race in this world.
“Smoking India hemp is not what makes one a good musician and people should not associate Reggae music to smoking. I personally don’t smoke, yet I am a good musician,” Pepple noted.
