‘I am Igbo from Nigeria’ – Jamaican reggae icon, Buju Banton reveals

Reggae legend Buju Banton has made a revelation about his ancestral roots, tracing his heritage back to the Igbo tribe of Nigeria.

In a recent interview on Drink Champs podcast, hosted by N.O.R.E and DJ EFN, Banton proudly shared his discovery that his Maroon tribe has its origins in the Igbo people, highlighting a fascinating connection between Jamaican and Nigerian cultures.

Buju Banton similarly sounded the alarm on a pressing issue in Jamaica, where he alleges that the ancestral lands of the Indigenous Maroon people are facing imminent threat.

The reggae icon lamented that the Jamaican government is permitting Chinese and other foreign interests to encroach upon their sacred territory, resulting in the forced displacement of the Maroon community and erasure of their cultural heritage. 

Buju Banton said, “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 which is an Indigenous sacred region to usurp us the Maroons as the warriors.

“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.”