A bronze statue of reggae icon Bob Marley has been erected in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at a roundabout in the Gerji area, named after the reggae legend himself, Bob Marley Square.
Bob Marley is highly celebrated as one of the most iconic figures in music, a legacy which has transcended the borders of our small island and catapulted not only our infectious reggae music onto the International stage, but the culture and pride of a nation also.
The world is celebrating the life and legacy of the Reggae Ambassador, International Superstar, Global Humanitarian today, Saturday, February 6, 2016, but many have no knowledge of this statue which was unveiled by city officials on Saturday, April 19, 2015. The masterpiece is the creation of Ethiopian sculptor, Bizuneh Tesfa. Rohan Marley paid a visit.
Not only is February celebrated as Reggae Month, Black History Month is internationally recognized during the period. There are many statues of Bob Marley in Jamaica. For comparison, here’s a photo of Bob Marley life-size statue located on the property of The Bob Marley Museum in Kingston.
The statue in Ethiopia was the brainchild of brothers Zeleke Gessese, a musician, Addisu Gessese a music promoter and businessman Awad Mohamed in commemoration of Bob Marley’s 70th birthday celebration. It was Bob Marley’s love, proclamations and philosophical link to the country that inspired the idea.
Though his music, Bob speaks highly of Ethiopia and the rest of the African diaspora, hence it was fitting in the eyes of the contributors to erect the statue in Addis Ababa.
In the ’80s, the Jamaican Government commissioned Alvin Marriott to sculpt this life-sized bronze statue of the reggae legend, which can be found in Celebrity Park outside the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
