Ras Caleb: Mahama’s Nyabinghi Drumming in Jamaica Was a Symbolic Act

Chief Executive Officer and Founding President of PANAFRICA-GHANA, Ras Caleb, has described President John Dramani Mahama’s participation in Nyabinghi drumming during his official visit to Jamaica as a carefully planned and highly symbolic gesture rather than a spontaneous cultural moment.

Speaking in an interview with KPDOnline.com, Ras Caleb said the President’s engagement with members of the Rastafarian community carried profound meaning because of what Nyabinghi represents within the movement.

According to him, Nyabinghi is a symbol of resistance against oppression.

“Nyabinghi means death to the oppressor, whether Black or white. That’s the meaning of the word Nyabinghi,” he explained.

Ras Caleb said Mahama’s decision to join the drummers was significant because it reflected an understanding of the values and message associated with the Rastafarian community.

“It means a lot to us because they have listened to us. Recently, during the Reparations Conference, they started singing the emancipation song, Bob Marley’s Redemption Song. The Rastas are very vocal,” he said.

He stressed that the President’s interaction with the Nyabinghi drummers was intentional and formed part of a broader cultural engagement during the visit.

“That’s why the President decided. It was not just an afterthought. It’s something that he planned,” Ras Caleb stated.

He said Mahama’s subsequent visit to the Bob Marley Museum further demonstrated that the engagements were deliberate and meaningful.

Ras Caleb also recalled that Ghana’s former President Jerry John Rawlings similarly maintained a close relationship with Rita Marley, noting that such engagements have long reflected the historical ties between Ghana and Jamaica.

According to him, members of the Rastafarian community viewed Mahama’s participation as recognition of their long-standing advocacy and contribution to African liberation thought.

“To us as Rastas, it means we have been recognised. We are thinkers and liberated people. He came to us to seek that kind of symbolism,” he added.

Background

President John Dramani Mahama is on an official state visit to Jamaica at the invitation of Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. The visit forms part of efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations between Ghana and Jamaica while expanding cooperation in trade, education, tourism, investment, culture and other areas of mutual interest.

During the visit, President Mahama held bilateral talks with Jamaican government officials and participated in engagements focused on strengthening ties between the two countries. He also attended activities connected to the growing partnership between Ghana and Caribbean nations.

One of the highlights of the visit was his interaction with members of Jamaica’s Rastafarian community, where he joined traditional Nyabinghi drummers in a performance that attracted widespread attention on social media. The President later visited the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, where he toured the historic site dedicated to the life and legacy of the reggae icon.