THE recent 2010 Walter Rodney Lecture by Robin Small at the Undercroft, UWI, Mona, was arguably the most amusing of the 12-year-old annual event. In keeping with the theme: “From Rodney to Ragga; From Black Power to Gold Power: Who Will Sort Out The Nation?” Small, better

known as Bongo Jerry, argued that Ragashanti is the replica of Babatunde.

And in the process he was more like a stand-up comedian, linking them with the late cultural and intellectual icons in Louise Bennett and Professor Rex Nettleford, as well as with Walter Rodney in whose memory the yearly symposium, which sometimes takes the forum of a panel discussion, was held.

“After Walter Rodney… probably the most influential sage to hit the consciousness of the public in four decades, …not through the blackboard and public meetings like Walter Rodney, but through the radio waves and the dancehall industry. Ragashanti, as Kingsley Stewart has come to be known, is actually an update, a replica or an imitator of Babatunde,” Bongo Jerry told the well-attended forum.

“A Babatunde,” he stressed, “a the original sage pon di radio weh really sort out the tings and deal wid mix up with tambourine and all dem ting deh.” Having explained, that the tambourine, was a well known feature of the revivalism, the folk philosopher noted that Babatunde was the original king of mix-up. “And the creator did not break the mould when he made Babatunde… So here comes Ragashanti.”

Babatunde is the former journalist, talk-show host and newspaper columnist Winston Witter.

“Babatunde had a life threatening accident in a motor vehicle and Ragashanti had a parallel motor vehicle mishap when they took him hostage, and den dem released him larger than life. And him ratings just go up more and more,” recalled Bongo Jerry.

Linking Babatunde and Ragashanti in the tradition of Miss Lou and Nettleford, the hilarious story-teller, stated: “Nettleford on the other hand now stop shy of a PhD. Nettleford deliberately never take nuh PhD. You did know that?

“Nettleford never waan nuh PhD because a Masters from Oxford is higher than any PhD except a PhD from Oxford,” Bongo Jerry said before adding. “Nettleford never take nuh PhD and he has been the most recognised academic in the public mind for years.

That was until Babatunde

and Ragashanti.

“All three of them identified in the vein of Louise Bennett in different ways or at least with the same blood type. Nettleford used dance, trade union, education in extra mural studies and folklore to popularise refinement and was the best known analyst of Rastafari until his departure in 2009.

“Louise Bennett is equally an educator. She has been labelled the Queen of mix-up. And hear how Louise Bennett dweet. All gossips be attributed to Auntie Roachie. Louise Bennett would talk out di ting but mek sure say a Auntie Roachie say soh.”

Concluding his lively discourse laced anecdotes with which he made fun at politicians across the political divide, the brother of former politician Hugh Small and attorney at law Richard Small, recalled. “There is no subject more interesting to a human being than another human being. It’s natural. Whether you like them or not, you are interested.

“And more interesting than human beings, is other human beings business (laughter). So that is exciting and entertaining, but it don’t leave you happy. You have to have a ole heap every day to get that kick. Just like when you smoking herb and you affi smoke up again. Don’t really lead to happiness. But happiness is a thing that when you have it, you just have it. And you just happy without anything or you happy with everything.”

Walter Rodney was the Guyanese born university lecturer/historian whose ban from the country after returning to the island from an assignment abroad, created a riot in 1968 between the police and UWI students who staged a march in protest of the ban.

“So people like Rodney, like Nettleford, like Miss Lou, like Bev Manley, like Dr Kingsley Stewart could turn out to be one of the greatest motivators coming out of this campus here. Because you see all of them, have the potential to be great motivators… and I’m going tell you this, from before him talk it pon Ian Boyne’s programme, I know seh, Ragashanti must have some political ambition. And then Ian Boyne asked and him seh yes.

I don’t know which one of the two political party a goh grab him and I don’t know if him going to form something fi himself, but I know seh him have a constituency out deh anytime him ready… I don’t think him waan to be a future vice chancellor of UWI, him a goh tun either a great political leader or probably the don of dons. For you know seh given the political industry and the dancehall fraternity, him could even become a don of dons. A matter of fact you nuh notice how Dudus resemble Ragashanti,” Small a poet, photographer, former talkshow moderator said to uncontrolled laughter.