REGGAE icon Bunny Wailer said he was yesterday assaulted by a security guard and told to leave the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, a property that the only living member of the world-famous Wailers said he normally accesses without hassle.
Wailer, known to many people as Jah B, went to the museum with England-based attorney Simon Vumbaca, who has been retained by the Rastafari Millennium Council on a matter relating to the indigenous rights of Rastafarians.
“I never expected anything like that because I just visited the place with the brethren. He wanted to go. He paid the fee. I was just there with him,” Wailer told the Jamaica Observer.
According to Wailer, who along with Marley and Peter Tosh formed the group responsible for launching reggae on the world stage, he and Vumbaca drove into the property, parked their car and, after getting out, took photographs at the front where pictures of Marley, his widow Rita, as well as Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths who formed the I-Three, Marley’s back-up singers, are displayed.
“There were tourists there also who took pictures with me because it was the first time they were going to see me in that setting,” Wailer said. “All of this happened before this guy came up with his attitude.”
He said the security guard, who was wearing black and red uniform, started pushing him and telling him that he should leave.
Wailer said the guard gave no reason for demanding his departure.
“This guy was actually chucking me out,” added the three-time Grammy winner, whose given name is Neville O’Riley Livingston and who was conferred with the Order of Jamaica in 2012.
“I am surprised. Normally I go into 56 Hope Road at will,” Wailer said.
He said that the security guard’s colleague sought, without success, to calm the situation.
“He should have followed that security, but he was just bent on getting me out of the place,” Wailer said, adding that the incident caused Vumbaca to request a refund, after which they left.
When the Observer called the museum for a comment, we were told that no one was available to speak as they were hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Vumbaca described the incident as surreal.
“We were a bit slow into the exhibit because there were these tourists who stopped Bunny for pictures, then after that we started to enter, then this happened. It was surreal. The guard had no intention of doing anything else than throwing Bunny out. The guy didn’t even come to me, he went straight to Bunny,” Vumbaca told the Observer.
He said they are now thinking about pressing a charge against the security guard.
I dont know the full story about him dissing rita (I will have to look it up) but I do know that he regularly puts down or does not favor rita and always bigs up cindy. Even if he thought that bob loved cindy more (or whatever the case may be) he should show more respect for rita for the contributions and sacrifices she also made to bring bob marley and reggae to the world.
F**k rita! The man don’t owe that bitch nothing…Cuba soon open back she can gwan back!
That hoe didn’t think twice fi write book say Bob Marley raped her, yet she is a proud “widow” of his estate.
Bunny Wailer deserve as much respect a a Marley! Run whey wid dat.
PP
yes she didnt think twice to write about a book saying bob rapeed her….but what if it was true? I’m not saying she is perfect was neither was bob and the world continues to idolize him and give him his respect where it is due. ive read parts of her book, not the whole things and i believe that it could have been true. Bob was a man that could have any woman he wanted at any time and maybe there was a time when he wanted his wife and she said no. for a man with that much power and influence it could have very well been possible. in the same book she said bob was cussing her about sleeping with another man, and the same time he was cussing her cindy walks in the room and calls him darling. Are we mad at this woman for having the same morals as a man?
U wrong Rita tuff bulla face Marley. Bunny is a legend//Ikan..
Bright!!
bunny wailer know him nuh fi deh deh… everyday him cuss bob marley , chris blackwell and rita… lol.. so wha the hell him a nuff up himself a d people dem museum…. stay ina u lane bunny
A museum is open to the general public. Rita a big up herself like she and Bob were together in the end, Meck she move har ras. Is Bob with the influence of Chris Blackwell why the Wailers split. The wailers deserve better recognition and monetary reward. If Bunny Wailer said anything about dutty Rita or Bob or anyone for that matter, he has the rights to voice his opinion. if a lie him a tell then sue him, simple.
A little security guard bwoy need to know himself and respect foundation.
Mek dem gwan yah Bunny W.. on a side note u look good, your black don’t crack, bwaay it nahn even crease…
Well him can’t expect fi a pass disparaging remarks bout di ppl dem and expect them fi roll out di red carpet fi him.
…and she can’t expect to pass off a jacket and claims rape in the same limelight without anyone having something to say negative about her.
Wonder if she still want to carry Bob go Ethiopia so she don’t have to deal with Jamaica…
In a nut shell Bunny said Rita and Blackwell kill Bob Marley.