Pan Africanism is defined as a political and cultural movement that seeks to unify African people, both on the continent and in the diaspora. It emphasises solidarity, self-determination, and the end of colonialism.

There is no doubt that Marley’s rendition of Redemption Song – where he adopts the Honourable Marcus Garvey’s words, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds” – is proof that he was a student of Garveyism. In fact, Marley explained that he rejected colonial education which deliberately ignored our 300 years’ experience as an enslaved people. He is quoted as having said, “If I did go a school, I would be a fool”. Garvey’s teaching, that we should ‘emancipate ourselves from mental slavery’ and ‘none but ourselves can free our minds’, was well taken on board by Robert Nesta Marley.

Garvey encouraged us to educate ourselves about the truth of our history, failing which we are bound to remain prisoners of another race’s teachings. The baton handed to Marley was well-travelled to the finish line, and Garvey must have been smiling from his grave with pride when he heard his student, Bob, lamenting our suffering with, “Every time I hear the crack of a whip, my blood runs cold. I remember on the slave ship, how they brutalize our very souls."