Having witnessed some of the biggest events at the National Stadium, Copeland Forbes can be considered Jamaica’s version of Forrest Gump. On March 16 he plans to attend Buju Banton’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ concert there, and expects it to surpass the previous spectacles.

The show will be the first by the Grammy-winning artiste since his release from an American prison three months ago. Forbes believes it could be “the biggest concert ever in Jamaica”.

That is quite a statement, considering Forbes was at National Stadium in August 1962 when Princess Margaret led the ceremony to declare Jamaica’s independence from Britain. He was also at the venue in April 1966 when Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I made a state visit to Jamaica.

On both occasions, Forbes represented the Boy Scouts of Jamaica as part of the Jamaican welcome party. He was also at the stadium for the One Love Peace Concert in April 1978, for Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s visit in July 1991, and for the Reggae Boyz football matches leading to their historic qualification for the 1998 World Cup in France.

“It boils down to one thing…people are longing to see him because he was a favourite, and everybody wants to be a part of history,” Forbes told the Jamaica Observer. “I think Buju can set a record for a concert crowd in Jamaica next week.”

Last month, Marlon Burke of show promoters Solid Agency reported that tickets for the VIP and Grandstand areas of the stadium are sold out. Tickets, ranging from US$200 to US$32 went on sale online in January and were quickly purchased by fans in Jamaica and overseas.

Burke added that physical tickets for the football field and bleachers area have sold steadily. Forbes is confident the 40,000-seat venue will be totally booked before show-time.

“You could tell from the launch (on January 16); I have never seen so many people at a launch for a show since I’ve been in this business. The parking lot was packed and there was media galore,” he said.

The 46-year-old Buju has not performed in public since a January 2011 show at Bayfront Park Amphitheatre in Miami. That show was held to raise money for legal fees for his trial on cocaine charges.

He was given a 10-year prison sentence in June that year in a Florida Federal court.

Buju Banton and his band are scheduled to perform in the Caribbean and Europe later this year. One of his biggest gigs will be at Summerjam in Germany on July 6; Summerjam is one of the world’s biggest reggae festivals.

Forbes does not think the artiste needs any new songs to tour.

“He’s got a huge catalogue so right now him don’t need new songs. Just like Jimmy Cliff or a Third World, him can go out there an’ do a three-hour show easily,” he said.