Izuchukwu OkosiIn this piece, IZUCHUKWU OKOSI pays glowing tribute to late raggae icon, Bob Marley who died on this day (11 May) in 1981 from cancer.
The article aside celebrating the music talent of Marley, highlights the need for proper medical attention for stars in the creative sectors.
Legendary music maestro Bob Marley was one of music’s greatest gifts to mankind.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Jamaican was born on 6 February 1945 but sadly on this day, we remember the demise of one of arguably the most iconic star of raggae music genre.
Marley died on 11 May 1981 from complications of Melanoma – a cancerous skin disease that formed under his big toenail.
Marley thought the injury from the toenail was from a football (soccer) game.
According to Mayoclinic.org, most melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light or UV light, comes from sunlight or tanning lamps or bed.
The cancer eventually spread to other parts of his body before medics realized that it was beyond a sport-induced injury.
The disease usually spread first into nearby lymph nodes before entering the blood and consequently travelling to distant parts of the body.
How Marley Met His Wife
Bob Marley was part of the music group known as The Wailing Wailers.
Marley Met his then girlfriend, and now widow, Rita, in the recording studio.
Rita herself was an artiste and she regularly performed with The Soulettes where Marley had the ‘divine’ opportunity to train his wife-to be.
The couple became inseparable and got married with 5 children albeit Marley had seven other children from other women making his offsprings 12 in total.
Bob Marley’s Songs
Bob Marley’s estimated value from his music wealth was pegged at $23 million before his demise.
Buffalo Soldier, Is This Love, Three Little Birds, Nice Time and No woman, No Cry and the biopic, One Love, were some of the enduring, evergreen songs gifted to the world by the rastafarian.
Marley’s songs spoke to the souls and consciences of politicians, religious leaders, security agencies and lovers.
In Africa, the satirical nature of some of his songs were similar to those of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti of Nigeria and Lucky Dube of South Africa.
Ghana gained independence on 11 March 1956 – 25 years before Marley died.
The Jamaican flag could be said to bear some semblance of the Ghanaian flag and there was an infusion of Jamaican reggae style to the Ghanian music.
Marley’s Near Shave With Death
Before the eventual death of Marley, he was close to being gunned down.
The star was short before a concert reportedly by a JLP gunman in the late 70s.
Health Care For Stars, Everyone
The death of Marley, other superstars around the world, and even the common man on the streets whom he talked about in some of his songs, reflects the need for a close attention to health needs and insurance.
Curiously, doctors found 19 different species of lice on his hairs.
Marley and most of the music stars of his ilk are expected to not have issues with quality health care.
This highlights the need for guilds and associations in the entertainment and sports sectors to protect the health of their major actors.
Today, the music industry remember Marley and what his music meant to the world.
Continue to rest well, ‘jah man, the ‘jamming’ one.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
