Jamaican reggae icon Buju Banton recently discussed his ties to the Nigerian Igbo tribe during an interview on the ‘Drink Champs’ podcast.
He revealed that his Maroon ancestors hailed from the Igbo people. Banton also voiced his worries about the protection of his community’s ancestral lands and traditional lifestyle, highlighting concerns about the Jamaican government’s involvement of foreign interests, such as Chinese investors, in the Cockpit region.
He emphasized the importance of the Cockpit region as a sacred Indigenous site and noted the Maroons’ historical role as warriors who resisted British colonization.
Banton confirmed his Igbo heritage, explaining that his ancestral lineage extends back to Nigeria. He described himself as an Igbo man, underscoring the deep cultural link between his Jamaican identity and Nigerian roots.
He stated:
“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.”
