It was a celebration at the Olives Garden at Lumley Beach; of the twenty-first anniversary of the death by drowning at the same Lumley Beach; of Salone’s reggae maestro Amara Kabba.
The place was packed-full; and there was his surviving wife, Anne Marie Kabba , his Dutch wife to keep the memory alive; so that this particular celebration is indeed, the crowning point; to show how much she had worked hard all the time; to make sure that the prophesy of Amara Kabba is alive in our hearts.
It was Paul Kamara, the former minister of sports and also former minister under Bio’s NPRC 2; also, the leading democracy and human rights activist, anti-corruption crusader and youth philanthropist that gave the keynote address. The event was crowned by the display of various reggae groups; including the Blind School Band; a group so dear to Anne Marie; since that time when her dear husband died; and met them for the first time to form an unbreakable bond forever.
And when the time came for Paul Kamara also known as Salone Mandela or Paul Mandela to take the stage; he told them that Amara Kabba’s message was that day fulfilled and come to pass. That the message of truth has been revealed not only by Amara Kabba; but by his brother Nfagie Kabba; that the truth shall reveal it; and that the truth has now come full circle.
Paul said that at the time of the album titled: Confront It; the musical scene was agog with musicians singing for change.
That Emerson’s Borbor Belle and Swegbe and other musicians sang and drum the beats for change. But when the SLPP told Kabbah to act against them; he said he would prefer them to sing; rather than for them to go back to the bush; and that statement, made President Kabba a great man of peace.
The Salone Mandela said: that Amara Kabba sang about love, peace and justice; and that the three songs in the album ‘Confront It’ titled: Confront It, Waiting and Conqueror; bears true testimony that Amara Kabba was referring to a particular person; and that person can now be identified; for those who have ears to hear, and eyes to see.
In Confront It, he refers to one person known for telling the truth and who is imbued with the fear of God. That he is a man of courage and experience; who tells the truth as it is: and also the courage to suffer for the truth against all odds; and that when he speaks the truth, nobody questions the truth that he brings to light.
And that same courage he often displays; just as past freedom fighters like Bai Bureh, Sekou Toure, Mandela, Steve Biko and Marcus Garvey. In this vein, Amara Kabba has also fulfilled this prophesy; bcos there is a freedom fighter for Mama Salone; in the garb of those already mentioned by Amara Kabba
But Amara Kabba went further to state; that Infact, the person is not only a freedom fighter; but also a prophet of truth who no-one can question for telling truth to power. And he assures all Saloneans; that they should wait for the coming of this prophet of truth. And that he would appear in the Turning Revolution; that would herald the Coming Alleiluia.
Also, that the prophet of truth; would have distinct characteristics similar to those prophets of God; like Mohammad, Jesus, Bhudda, Confuscius, Moses and Rev Mooni. Qualities such as the belief in the truth, justice, love, compassion, forgiveness, unity and the like. And that, there is already a person who qualifies as the prophet of truth that Saloneans should wait for in the Turning Revolution in the Coming Alleiluia.
Finally, Paul Mandela for that was the name that people from the audience call him; told them, that Amara Kabba did not err to say that the person to rule Salone; will conquer both the two leading political parties. And that no matter how the APC sun is hot; or the SLPP tide is high, he is the Conqueror.
Indeed, the person that Amara Kabba sang about already exists in Salone bcos his songs referred to him and only him alone; and this fact is indisputable. He did not however, tell them who the person is; who holds the truth that comes from His Majesty, the freedom fighter like Bai Bureh and Mandela, the prophet who will epitomize Christ and Mohammad; and the Conqueror who has stood to the might of both the SPC and SLPP regimes.
Paul Mandela was invited by the Blind Band to take the stage with Anne Marie and to fully dance to their reggae beats. In all, it was a fantastic celebration of a true hero; who left a prophesy; who was with the people serving God; that will come to pass in the Turning Revolution that would herald the Coming Alleiluia!
THE AFRICAN DREAM REMEMBERING AMARA KABBA
Remembering Sierra Leone’s Greatest Reggae Musician – Amara Kabba Regarded as Sierra Leone’s greatest reggae musician, Amara Kabba didn’t only inspire his fellow countrymen and women, but also the whole of Africa and beyond. Born in 1962, in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, to a Madingo father and a temne mother, Amara Kabba was the second son of the three sons of accordion player Pa Kabba.
Amara Kabba and his brothers grew up with their father who was a music composer and a folk singer. His elder brother Nfagi Kabba was also a musician and was inspired by their late father. The three sons lost their parents at a very young age. The death of their parents negatively affected Amara Kabba and his brothers, which led them to drop out of school and focus on music.
After the death of their parents, Amara Kabba used music as therapy and a place where he found solace. He joined the Rockers Group as a guitarist and singer. Amara Kabba and the Rockers Group performed on various occasions and functions before he joined the Sierra Afric Dance Band. He released his first single ‘Eastern Paddle’ under the Band, which went on to become the country’s number one hit song at that time. Amara Kabba left Freetown for Conakry, Guinea where played alongside South African musician Bongi Makeba and the legendary Miriam Makeba. Amara Kabba spent a few days in Conakry, Guinea before his return to Freetown, Sierra Leone. On his return to Freetown, Amara Kabba and his elder brother Nfagi Kabba formed a musical group called the Kabba Brothers, in the 1980s. The Kabba Brothers recorded over six albums, which took them to the center stage. Their first album ‘Chest Pain’ which had popular songs like ‘Tamareneh’ and ‘Lef Bad Heart’. The Kabba Brothers were invited to perform in London at the Summer Afro-Reggae concert. After a successful stint with the Kabba Brothers, Amara Kabba went solo. He left London for Amsterdam after their successful concert at the Summer Afro-Reggae. Amara Kabba studied Music and Recording Engineering in Holland.
He started recording reggae songs instead of his usual traditional goombay songs. He founded the Shain Band whilst in Holland and started doing live band performances in Amsterdam. In Holland, after completing his studies in Music and Recording Engineering, he released one of the greatest Sierra Leonean reggae albums, ‘Confront It’.
He had wanted to launch his album ‘Confront It’ in his homeland, Sierra Leone after he had launched it at the Dutch Pop Institute in Amsterdam. The eight-track album contains tracks such as ‘Confront it, Calling, Lady on the road, Waiting’ and more. May 2003, Amara Kabba left Holland for Freetown after twelve years. Sunday, June 22, 2003, Amara and his wife hosted a mini beach party with his longtime friends, fans, and family members as what they called a ‘reunion’. “We were having fun with friends and fans of Amara. We gave drinks and food to everyone. Amara was seated on the rock playing his music with his guitar. Everyone else was singing and dancing with him. After few performances, Amara asked me to go swimming. I refused because I couldn’t swim. I was pregnant and also had 4 years old Khadija with me.
Amara and a friend eventually went into the water to swim. After some time, I heard Amara crying for help. He was trying to keep his head up. The boys playing football at the beach went to help him out, but he had already drunk too much water” – Wife of Amara Kabba, Anne Marie Kabba narrating the death of his late husband. Amara Kabba was rescued and taken to the hospital, but unbeknownst to them, he wouldn’t survive. The next morning, she visited the hospital only to find that her husband was no longer in his bed.
The doctor informed her that Amara Kabba had passed away. What could have been a short and memorable visit to his homeland turned into a tragic and unforgettable moment for his family, fans, and friends.
