Bobo Hill celebrates 55th anniversary of Selassie’s visit

Empress Phillis Rose said that she was brimming with excitement at the thought of seeing Ethopian Emperor Haile Selassie I in person when he visited Jamaica in 1966.

The 80-year-old, currently one of three remaining senior empresses at Bobo Hill in Bull Bay, St Andrew, said that the experience will last in her memory for a lifetime.

"The experience was so wonderful because I never saw a king from I was born (in 1941). It was the first time my eyes behold a king and from that moment I knew he was God. He was in the car that was carrying him up Half-Way Tree Road," she said. Haile Selassie arrived in Kingston on April 21, 1966 for a three-day state visit.

"I was cooking some rice that morning when I heard it over the radio that he was coming pass where I live. I left the rice on the fire and run go out to Half-Way Tree Road, and when I stand up out there the rain began to fall. The rain wet me but mi never did ago leave until mi see the king," she said. "I feel so fine to know that I found the Lord and I will not let him go. He is my Creator, my King and my God. That was the day I embraced Rastafari."

Empress Rose was speaking shortly after a ceremony held by several priests in Bobo Hill to mark the 55th anniversary of Selassie's visit.

Priest Shimron Davidson noted that there has been an increase in the number of people now embracing Rastafari since then , as even the Bobo Shanti order has branches in countries like Chile, Colombia, Barbados and The Bahamas.

"However, our main aim and our main development is going forward to Africa, because it will give us a self-esteem as African nobility. We are from noble people and kings. King Emanuel said he came for all black people worldwide, and that is our mission as Bobo Shanti here," he said. "Anytime that come through, our headquarters is gonna move to Africa, but we are here to see that repatriation and reparation process complete because we are the main agitators for such cause."

Meanwhile, the group also rejected certain developments in the west including the usage of microchips in hands.

"When you read to the prophecy and history it says that many will bow to the system. Wi did know that dem ago have people weh a tek chip in all different forms. What they are trying to do is to rule the people to all their laws and rules and to rule the people they have to have all these things implemented. We already know say it in the world. These people should just come to the reality and accept the teachings of Rastafari," he said.

They also believe that natural herbs are the only real cure to the COVID-19 virus, and Priest Christopher Morant believes that the pandemic has been used as a tool of oppression.

"The European world a use the COVID pandemic as a way of monetary control, while Jah a use it to uplift him people, which is to know yourself. That is to eat black, walk black and talk black. Who is dying from COVID? Is mostly the white men country, as to the statistics weh dem a show wi," he said.