Maxi Priest Shares Photo Of Queen Elizabeth With Haile Selassie, But Some Rastas Displeased
A post by British-Jamaican Reggae singer Maxi Priest in which he expressed regret at the death of Queen Elizabeth II, while sharing photos of her in Ethiopia with Emperor Haile Selassie, has not gone down well with some of his Rastafarian followers.
Priest who was born in London to Jamaican parents, expressed condolences to the new monarch, Elizabeth’s son King Charles and other members of the Royal family, on his Instagram page yesterday.
“It is with great sadness to hear the news about the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. My deepest sympathies and condolences to King Charles III, the entire Royal Family, and the United Kingdom on the loss of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Rest In Peace Queen,” the Wild World singer noted.
Queen Elizabeth, who had a cordial relationship with the Emperor, was the first British Monarch to formally visit Ethiopia, back in 1965 where she had gone for an eight-day trip to the East African nation.
The Queen’s state visit was made in return for one paid to London by the Emperor back in 1955, The Guardian had reported back then.
Emperor Haile Selassie inspired the Rastafari religion, indigenous to Jamaica, the members of which consider him a 20th Century manifestation of God, and so some of Maxi’s followers did not take kindly to Maxi “sizing up” Queen Elizabeth with His Imperial Majesty.
“Why you showing our king with her?” zicohabesha demanded to know, while thepanafrican asked: “How is it with sadness?”
“Are really serious? You don’t know British history?” ricosaddiq rebuked, while charliegunzz added: “A great coordinator of oppression”.
“Black people really sad that the oppressor is gone 😪 I must be lost because her and her monarchy have oppressed us for centuries. Wake TF up I can’t believe this. Showing homage to them is sad 😔,” blingtherealestthing noted.
When Haile Selassie visited the UK in 1955 for a two-week stay, On his arrival in Portsmouth, warships flew the Ethiopian flag and cannons fired royal salutes, while the Royal Air Force Coastal Command staged a fly-past.
In London the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh received the Emperor at Victoria Station in a lavish red carpeted and curtained enclosure, according to historians.
The Emperor visited schools and hospitals, the cities of Bath and Oxford, a debate in the House of Commons and lunch at 10 Downing Street and crowds cheered him along throughout his tour of London.
Elizabeth, while welcoming the Emperor at the state banquet held in his honour, lauded him as “the Sovereign of an ancient Christian State which has many links with our own Church”.
On Friday morning, the Ethiopian Observer reported that the country’s nationals “have contributed to the millions of tributes that flooded social media” for Queen Elizabeth.
“The queen’s ties to the country began at least in 1965 when a young Elizabeth accompanied her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh made an eight-day visit to the country,” the publication noted.
The Ethiopian president Abiy Ahmed Ali, also expressed regret at Elizabeth’s passing.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Ethiopia, I extend deepest condolences to the British Royal Family, the Government and the people of Great Britain on the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II,” he noted.
In addition, the British Embassy in Ethiopia, which refers to Selassie as the Conquering Lion of Judah, noted that the condolence the queen was now open to the public at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa and that a virtual condolence book could also be signed.
Over on Rastafarian magazine Just Jah’s Instagram page, some followers expressed a ‘don’t-care’ attitude towards the news of Elizabeth’s passing.
“Just the fact that the main head behind the colonizing of indigenous people who for 70yrs did nothing to right wrongs or restore stolen history and lands is being morned by some of the very people still suffering kills me…,” gtgav said.
Over on the Pan-African radio station Irie FM’s Instagram page, some followers expressed condolences while others expressed glee.
“Gods riddance to the oppressors who even to this day still trying to oppress us .. bare deport they be deporting man who live a England from before them have sense. Plus this ole queen wealth is I’ll gotten gain made off slavery and every piece a crown jewelry is stolen from other countries .. I for one day good riddance,” bless-boy said.
“Down with the monarchy and stop crying people, think about the evil that this family have inflicted for all the wealth that they’ve stolen,” mcrisky noted.