Ethiopia-Jamaica: Reggae Legend Bob Marley’s mother passes away in Florida

(Jimma Times) – Cedella Marley Booker, the mother of late reggae musician Bob Marley, passed away at her Southern Florida home.

Born in St. Anne, Jamaica, she died yesterday at 81 years old. Cedella was a musician and she had written two books about her reggae icon son and released two albums.

After Bob Marley’s father died when he was ten, Cedella was faced with financial challenges raising a boy in Jamaica without a father, in addition to social exclusion they faced in the urban as her mixed son’s father was a white Jamaican of English ancestry.

Her son managed to get thru the problems of his youth to become a world renowned musician and song writer, with most of his songs influenced by the local cultural, religious and distinct environment. Inspired by the Rastafari Movement that saw Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I as God incarnate called Jah, his songs impacted many political and religious movements around the world, particularly in Africa and the Caribbean. His mother Cedella was quoted by the Jamaica Gleaner saying she “didn't know he was going to be a reggae king, but I knew he was a king from birth.”

Bob’s fame brought along a better life opportunity for his mother and family. Cedella’s icon son reportedly had various prophecies that affected her, including his dream that he would meet a small man who awards him with a ring and his prediction that he would die at age 36. Both predictions became true years later as Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie’s son, Prince Asfaw Wossen, gave Bob Marley a ring of the Emperor and as Bob also died at the young age of 36.

“No Woman, No Cry”

After his dream of his early death, Bob wrote the famed song titled “No Woman, No Cry” that became a comfort for his mother as well as for many women around the world. He had died whispering to his mother the words “Maddah, don’ cry.”

Cedella said that this specific song was her favorite song and gave her strength during difficult times. Cedella, who was said to be a very upbeat person despite her age, reportedly even kept a MySpace Page and continued to write songs. She attended the 60th Birthday Celebration of Bob Marley that was held at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia three years ago. Cedella died of natural causes and she was “happy,” during her last minutes, as she passed away surrounded by family and relatives.