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Well-known psychologist, Leachim Semaj is contending that if Bob Marley were to be made a national hero, it would tarnish the image and legacy of the reggae icon who would have been 62 on February 6, the very day Semaj made his comments at the annual Bob Marley lecture put on by the Reggae Studies Unit, UWI, at the Undercroft of the Senate Building.
Delivering the main address, Dr Semaj said Bob Marley would have nothing to gain and the only beneficiaries would be those who name him national hero. "Based on what history has shown us, it would mean absolutely nothing for what Marley stood for, and as it stands now, Marley is a universal man....What Jamaican political forces have demonstrated is that if they were to name him a national hero, it would be a trick. The only beneficiary would be those who name him," Semaj said.
Addressing the theme of the lecture, Bob Marley: National Hero or National Icon, the consulting psychologist argued. "Marley went from popular culture to universal culture. Marley bypassed national culture. The world accepted Marley, then national culture co-opted the image and the name. But nothing of the substance of his work."Continuing, a rather sceptical Semaj rhetorically asked, "Is national culture trying to find a way to own Marley? Is that a strategy?" before adding, " Rasta unpopular, long ago we recognised the work of Marcus Garvey, long before national culture decided to buy a piece of him. Bob Marley can now be recognised as one of the most important figures of the 21st century....What has happened in terms of Marcus Garvey...We named him national hero, how much of this is involved with the national culture of Jamaica? How much of this is supported by any of our national institutions. A precedent has been set, tek sleep mark death.
"What aspect of Bob Marley's life and work does the national culture of Jamaica accept and promote?" he asked. "Interestingly," he added, "ganja is now the largest cash crop in the United States of America. The latest figures indicate that 35 billion dollars worth of ganja is produced every year in the United States of America. More than corn and wheat combined. Yet we still burning down ganja plantations. Dreadlocks is still questioned in Jamaica."
In what was a lively and provocative presentation with the aid of PowerPoint and snippets of the maestro's music, Semaj introduced some measure of theatrics as he would pose a question and have it answered with the appropriate musical selections.
"Bob," Semaj asked, "how you feel about dem making you a national hero in Jamaica? The musical response was "Dem crazy" from Marley's record, Crazy Baldhead.
LS - "Aren't their motives honourable Bob, don't they really trying to do something nice?" Marley's response "See di hypocrites dem..."
LS - "Wouldn't this consolidate your legacy Bob?"
Marley - "Never let a politician grant you a favour"
LS - "What about your place in history?"
Marley -"Dem a goh tiad fi see mi face"
Semaj ended his discourse on a Biblical note, quoting John Chapter 14, verse 15, with Jesus saying: "If you really love me, keep my commandments."
But when the Observer sought a response from another prominent academic, Professor Verene Shepherd, she was in disagreement with Dr Semaj's position. However, she did say because she was not at the symposium at which Semaj spoke she was going to get a copy before she could make a fulsome response.
"We (at the National Bicentennial Committee) want everything to do with Bob Marley's residence and the places associated with his life being made National Heritage Sites. So starting with 56 Hope Road, we put our plaque there a year ago in February 2006. Then, we are going to similarly declare Trench Town and we are in discussions about Nine Miles. The Trench Town discussions are more advanced," Professor Shepherd revealed.
"I think the whole world knows that he is a hero," the head of the Bicentennial Committee added. "It is not enough to say that the whole world knows that he is a hero and leave it at that. Some of us take comfort in saying that even if you don't give me an award, everybody knows that I'm good. So that's your business if you want to keep your award. I think it's not right. It is not right for us to be ignoring this person (Bob Marley) who has branded Jamaica. Rastafarians and our musical artistes have branded Jamaica. Put that aside (that they would be satisfying their own ends), they have already been doing it. Declaring him a national hero, I think that they should.
"What they should do is come up with some criteria and see if he meets them. And then we go from there... At least make the offer and it is for me to say I don't want it. So offer it and leave it up to the family to say no I don't think Bob, because of his philosophy would have accepted or wanted that, but at least ask the question. To me, ask the question and then we will see what happens."
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