There are some people who walk into a room and their radiance takes over the space.
Those who unconsciously do good, because they are, simply, deeply good.
There are those people who, even when they are no longer with us, are never forgotten, because
the way they lived their lives leaves a lasting impact on those they came across— Kingsley Michael “Ibo” Cooper was one of those people.
As we celebrate Heroes Day, we are reminded that there are heroes among us.
Those who do more for the country than they do for themselves.
Those who dedicate their lives to service.

One year ago, we said goodbye to our hero, Ibo, as we celebrated another hero, Professor
Ralston Rex Nettleford at the opening ceremony of the biennial Arts Conference named in his
honour. As the University singers and the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) performed
Nettleford’s timeless masterpiece, Goodbye Motherland, the final movement from his critically
acclaimed work, The Crossing, (1978), Ibo Cooper said goodbye. An encore was necessary to
ease the collective grief. The dancers kneeled in reverence when the announcement was made
and, in that moment, we knew we were gifted with an incandescent soul that served the
institution, the music industry and the country with love. Ibo, as he was popularly known, singlehandedly transformed the School of Music’s programme with a fierce determination to honour Jamaica’s soul music —reggae. The classical curriculum was transformed to a culturally appropriate addition of Jamaican music, which later extended to Caribbean music forms. Ibo’s class was always a lesson in Jamaica’s music history and showmanship. As the nation celebrates Heroes Day, EDNA remembers our Ibo.

“After his 24 years with Third World, Ibo pivoted and landed into teaching. Yet, again, calling on
his experience as a musician and scholar, his stellar contribution to the classroom at Edna
Manley College is no less than his lauded accomplishments as a performer and composer. And
considering both these fields could have been secondary to the intellectual aptitude of this son
of Jamaica— a country boy from Spalding, Clarendon—had he pursued a career in the sciences
rather than heed music’s beckoning. But his service to Jamaica does not end with these
achievements. Ibo has served on boards and committees and acted as a cultural delegate for
the government and the music industry. In addition, his seven years in leadership of the
Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) have been both respectable and honourable.”
– Dorrett Campbell, Interim Principal

“Mr. Cooper’s designation as a cultural icon and his legacy on the global stage are undeniable,
and we were certainly privileged that the nature and quality of his contributions internally were
just as profound, enabling us to uphold our mission of providing the highest quality education
and training in the arts. The School of Music’s Final Year Shows and the Graduation
Productions, among other activities, bear testament to his spirit of excellence that ruled out all
possibilities of settling for mediocrity. He left us with a plethora of music to uplift our spirits and a living, breathing blueprint of the transformational power of the arts.”
– Trudy Ann Barrett, VP Academic Affairs

“You were the proverbial Knight in shining armor, not always there when we wanted you, but
you were always on time with even more than we anticipated. You knew what the assignment
was, and you always got it done. From you, we have gleaned the concepts of quiet diligence,
humble knowledge, fearless passion, and silent excellence. We have listened, Ibo to this age of
riddim, and we have come to know what we’ve got within, It’s the Rhythm of Life.”
– Leighton Jones, VP Administration and Resource Development

“We are proud that Ibo spent the final period of his professional life in the School of Music at
EDNA. We deem this “post Third World” period a resounding success as he integrated his
performance career into the music academy. During his over 20 years of service to the College,
he treated his appointment as an opportunity to share his musical concepts, philosophy, and
professional life experiences with his students and colleagues. He understood educational
processes and was a believer in the intersection of theory and practice. His approach to teaching and learning manifested that thinking.

He ensured that the School of Music had systems in place to deliberately engage with renowned local and foreign musicians. We remember Ibo as the person who single handedly transformed the School of Music final year shows into a spectacle worth watching. In the early 2000s, Ibo launched the new era of student concerts by incorporating quality sound equipment from his home studio, transported them to the College in his vehicle, set up the equipment with self-assigned student help, operating as the one-man engineer, and entrusting the College to care for his equipment for the consecutive concert days before the end of the concert period. The shows have never been the same since then as the faculty and students continue to build on this tradition. This is the man we knew and experienced.”
– Roger Williams, Dean, School of Music

As Willie Stewart of Third World said, “Ibo was the type of musician who could envision the whole
song before it was finished, nothing short of a genius, a wizard keyboard player, musical
arranger, song writer, producer, vocalist, engineer, musical director, percussionist, and a special
human being who was sent into this world to make it a better place.”

For his contribution to the development of Jamaican music, Kingsley Michael “Ibo” McKinson Cooper was bestowed the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer by the Government of Jamaica in 2005.

The Edna Manley College is proud and grateful for the time he spent with us, and receives former
Prime Minister of Jamaica and close friend of Ibo, the Honourable PJ Patterson’s words: “may the
melancholy of this loss gradually transcend into a harmonious remembrance of a life well-lived,
of a musician extraordinary, of a true son of Jamaican soil. The soothing cadence of Ibo’s life
and music will forever echo through the hills and hearts of Jamaica, an enduring tribute to a
remarkable soul in our musical anthology.”