“I Am an Igbo Man” – Jamaican Reggae Legend Buju Banton Reveals Ancestry, Warns of Land Threats

Jamaican reggae icon Buju Banton recently disclosed his Igbo ancestry, connecting his roots to the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. During an appearance on the popular podcast “Drink Champs,” hosted by N.O.R.E and DJ EFN, Banton revealed that the Maroons, a group of which he is a descendant, originally hail from the Igbo tribe.

Banton expressed deep concern over the current state of his ancestral land in Jamaica, criticizing the Jamaican government for allowing foreign interests, particularly Chinese nationals, to encroach on the sacred Cockpit region, a historically significant area for the Maroons.

“Our Indigenous way of life and our land are being threatened by the current government of Jamaica, which seeks to bring Chinese and other nationalities into the Cockpit region, a sacred Indigenous area, to displace us, the Maroons, as warriors,” Banton stated.

He further emphasized the historical significance of the Maroons as fierce defenders of their land against colonial powers, saying, “Maroons are some of the Indigenous warriors on my Island. We fought the British relentlessly. We are called Blackmaroons. My generation originated from Nigeria. I am an Igbo man according to my bloodline.”