Ghanaians want remains buried in their country

Reggae fans on the African Continent, especially in the West African countries of Ghana and Nigeria, are devastated by the passing of Joseph Hill, the late reggae icon internationally known as Culture. The family of the legendary entertainer has been getting requests from his admirers in Ghana for his remains to be buried in their country.

The veteran singer/songwriter, who died while on a tour of Germay on Saturday, August 19, will be buried in Jamaica. A service of celebrations for his life and works, will be held on Saturday, September 9, at the Emmanuel Apostolic Church on Slipe Road in Kingston. He will be buried at the Dovecot Memorial Park, in St Catherine, his native parish. In a career spanning over 30 years, Culture has toured extensively in Africa (where he has a huge fan-base), Israel, Japan, Britain and Northern Europe.

An email sent by a Ghanaian fan, Ennice Oseidonsu, to Hill's family, reads in part "... We wish to have the mortal remains of Joseph Hill, our brother and friend, be sent to Ghana for its final resting place, could you please respond."

Dennis Wright, who heads the planning committee for Culture's final rites, said that Mrs Pauline Hill (the singer's wife) has had a similar request from the Chief of Aburi, asking for the interment to be done there. "A matter of fact, they are having service of thanksgiving in Ghana for Joseph (Hill) on the same day as the one in Jamaica," Wright told the Observer.

"The Ghanaian Minister of Tourism, Jake Obetsedi Lampkey, has sent his condolences by way of a DVD as have the Minister of Culture and other people in the Government services in Ghana," said Wright while adding that Kenya, the Ivory Coast (Burkina Faso) and Sierra Leone, where some time back Culture asked rebel forces to lay down their arms which they did, are among the hardest hit in terms of mourning.

"The death of Joseph Hill has been devastating to the people here," Nigerian broadcaster Okezie Ekugo, told the Observer.

"We here in Nigeria are so fond of him. In fact, since the news of his death broke, radios are blasting Culture's One Stone album. The people are lamenting much because of his militant songs," Ekugo said.

"There is a particular song being played here for those rebel guys in our Niger Delta who go kidnapping expatriates for ransom. The song Tribal War has been a hit and is played almost everyday on our local stations. Then Mr Sluggard is being played to educate people against the use of the internet to do scam jobs. In fact, Culture is a name to be reckoned with here," the Nigerian radio announcer said.

The night before the burial (Friday, September 8), a showcase dubbed A Night of Strictly Culture, featuring leading reggae artistes, will take place at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, beginning at 6:00 pm.

Artistes so far confirmed are Sugar Minott, George Nooks, Pam Hall, Nadine Sutherland, Sly Dunbar, Lovindeer, Tamlins, Bunny Brown, Junior Kelly, Cherry Natural and Lloyd Parks.