Musical genius and father of Spouge music in Barbados, Jackie Opel now has a national day in his name, an amphitheatre in addition to a mural, and his family believes that it’s about time.
On Saturday afternoon on the General Post Office, Cheapside, Opel’s daughter Rhonda Greaves said that she felt the time had come for her father to be officially honoured.
Opel’s honour got here as a mural was unveiled within the presence of his family and various government officials.
“I feel great. The time has come for them to try to do something for him because that is a protracted time that they weren’t really doing nothing for him,” Greaves told Barbado TODAY.
Greaves added that she hopes that the popularity of her famous father, whose real name is Dalton Sinclair Bishop, continues.
She identified that she believes that more needs to be done to honour the legacy of her father.
“I feel there needs to be so much [more] because he did so much for Barbados, he helped a number of the musicians get where they’re and he tried to assist everybody,” she said.
“I feel [they] should do something he can be pleased with and his children and his grandchildren. When I am going I could say well no less than they did something for my dad,” Greaves added.
She said that growing up under her dad meant that she would receive many gifts as that was the person Opel was although they didn’t live together. She said his memory needs to be cherished.
“I didn’t really live with him, I lived with my grandmother but he would come and search for me and convey things for me and we’d talk,” she explained.
Minister within the Prime Minister’s Office (Culture) Dr Shantal Munro-Knight said that the Mia Mottley administration is committed to honouring the lifetime of those cultural legends who got here before.
“Not only by way of looking forward but remembering and celebrating others. Jackie’s contribution has been so extensive if you happen to take a look at what he’s done by way of the event of Spouge, that claims something about who Barbados is as a rustic,” she told Barbados TODAY.
Opel’s legacy should function an enormous encouragement for aspiring musicians especially under a new republic, Munro-Knight explained.
“I feel there may be a budding awareness from young musicians in studying Jackie’s legacy and his contribution but I feel it would give a level of confidence for who we’re as a people and what the art form can do and where it could possibly take you,” she added. (MR)
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