Nearly two months after the death of reggae music legend, Ras Kimono, his family, friends and associates have announced plans to give him a befitting week-long funeral.
The chairman of the planning committee, Mr Theophilus Ehizibue, said this at a press briefing on Tuesday.
He also noted that the deceased would have marked 35 years on stage this year and the family has decided that there will be an annual event to celebrate him.
“Having played for 35 years on stage which co-incidentally is this year, the family and friends have decided that there will be an annual event to mark his remembrance, his personality, his kind of music and what he represents” Ehizibue said.
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Also speaking with Channels Television, a reggae music veteran, Covenant Child, explained that Ras Kimono had a huge influence on reggae music and indeed the Nigerian music industry as a whole.
He said, “He was in the middle of hip hop music and reggae dancehall music. Ras Kimono was the guy in between both generations, it is a huge monumental loss and I dare say, the death of Ras Kimono will either make or mar reggae dancehall music in Nigeria and indeed Africa”.
Ras Kimono broke into stardom following his debut album,’Under Pressure’ in the late ’80s.
He died in an Ikoyi hospital on June 10, after he reportedly slumped the day before.
The news of his death was greeted with numerous tributes and condolences from fans.
Key players in the music industry, including a factional Chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Tony Okoroji, among others, also lamented that his death was a “terrible loss to the music industry”.
