₦airaland Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AuJFwBDyug?si=8r-DX3o6RnVSsOe5

Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican reggae artiste who was very popular in Nigeria in the 1970s and '80s recently died at the age of 81.

Mr Cliff came to Nigeria many times in the 1970s (particularly in 1974 and 1976) and he often said that his 1976 visit was bitter-sweet.

The sweet part was that there were many fans at the airport and they lined the streets from the airport to his hotel.

The bitter part was that a man claimed that he had a deal with Jimmy Cliff (which he claimed was signed in London) that he would bring him to Nigeria, but Jimmy Cliff broke the deal. Jimmy Cliff was detained for three days, but he was released when the case got to court because the accuser had no evidence.

The famous Jamaican journalist, Lindsay Barrett, who lived and worked in Nigeria in the 1970s and '80s was one of the people that actually convinced Jimmy Cliff to come to Nigeria.

REWIND: In 1976 song ‘The News’, Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff recalled being detained in Nigeria over contract dispute

By Muhibat Sulaimon
November 24, 2025

The recent passing of Jimmy Cliff has brought renewed attention to the life and stories of the Jamaican Reggae veteran: one of which was his “bitter-sweet experience” during his first visit to Nigeria decades ago.

In a July 2012 interview with The Arts Desk, the 81-year-old recalled the sweet part of his trip, narrating how upon his arrival in Nigeria, thousands of fans were at the airport to welcome him, lining the streets all the way to his hotel.

“My first trip to Africa was Nigeria. It was a bitter-sweet experience. Sweet because of the thousands of people at the airport awaiting me,” he said.

“I’d never had that adulation, I only saw it for The Beatles, so to have it for myself was really great. They lined the street from the airport to the hotel. It was amazing.”

The singer revealed that the bitter part of the experience began when a show promoter claimed he had failed to honour a previous performance agreement in London.

Cliff said due to allegation, the promoter filed a civil suit against him while he was in Nigeria.

The allegation, according to the singer, led to him being arrested and “thrown in jail,” where he spent three nights in detention.

He added that when the case finally went to court, the promoter’s claim collapsed due to a complete lack of evidence, and the suit was promptly thrown out.

“The bitter part of it was I got thrown in jail for no reason at all. A man came and said, ‘I was the one who was supposed to bring Jimmy Cliff to Africa. I had a contract with him in London and he didn’t turn up so now he’s here I’m taking out a civil suit against him,'” he said.

“They put me in jail for three nights. When I went to court, where’s the evidence? Nothing! So they threw it out. Nigeria was a pretty rough place but I didn’t mind – I liked the energy.”

The incident was significant enough in his life that he had previously referenced it in his 1976 single ‘The News‘.

“Have you heard the news/ Have you heard the news/ Have you heard the news/ Have you heard the news,” the lyrics read.

“I was in Africa down in Nigeria/ Oh they threw me in jail/ I had one hell getting bail.”

In the song, Cliff also dismissed the promoter’s claim as a “lie and propaganda” designed to “scandalise my name”.

They scandalizng my name/ They want to make me look shame/ Because I got little fame/ They want to make me look shame/ Have you heard the news Everybody/ Have you heard the news /Have you heard the news/ Have you heard the news/ It started by some liar/ Spreading like wild fire/ Propaganda all around/ News believed in every town/ In London ‘Merica then in Jamaica/ All over Trinidad/ Oh Lord I felt so bad eeh eeh,” the lyrics continued.

Cliff passed away on Monday after suffering a seizure linked to the pneumonia he had been battling.

The veteran reggae singer is survived by his wife, Latifa, and their children, daughter Lilty and son Aken.

https://lifestyle.thecable.ng/rewind-in-1976-song-the-news-reggae-icon-jimmy-cliff-recalled-being-detained-in-nigeria-over-contract-dispute/

Jimmy Cliff Reggae Night - 1983


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Uh24QiJUI?si=KYgSVKXwVwWYs-PH

This song was originally sung by Johnny Nash.

From the soundtrack of the movie Cool Runnings

Jimmy Cliff - I Can See Clearly Now (1993)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrHxhQPOO2c?si=fk6stULm0mS_1NRP

Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers To Cross (1969).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y9Q7ud7Or0?si=3TOJ_LyqWaMjY7KZ

Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want (1970)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7dBMYUyRAQ?si=keyFbZUaazSn2XW4

He was a very authentic man. I recommend reading his life and times right from when he left his small town for the Jamaican city as a teenager and immediately changed his name from James Chambers to Jimmy Cliff because he wants his name to reflect his vision to become very successful, famous and reach the extreme peak in his career.

He attained it. He was happily married with his wife by his side when he passed on yesterday at 81.

His songs will keep touching lives even long after he's gone off the earthly Cliff.

Original and cover.

Jimmy Cliff - Wild World (1970)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDmSZr9FPO4?si=LB28RlKCh04gMgK2


Maxi Priest - Wild World (1987)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ZWD_0VRK8?si=-aP2RuAlAU0JDjFW

That was then, before Nigeria became a "Now Disgraced Nation"

The best reggae artist in the world.Sleep on

When talented artists sang without effects. Rest on Legend.

Long time ago I hate reggae

Why do I have to listen to it self

Rest on legend....you will be missed

TOOR
D
D
Ddhgsieirkrhshsjehejj

bewla:
Long time ago I hate reggae

Why do I have to listen to it self

This is a different blend
You will enjoy it

VeeVeeMyLuv:
This is a different blend
You will enjoy it

I hear say the man done die

Chei God pls o send him soul to heaven

Have you seen the news...?


So e don try wey naira dey like this!

James Chambers whose stage name was Jimmy Cliff, was the indubitable "originator" of reggae music.

His melodious voice and meaningful lyrics kept his audience spellbound for decades.

Some of his very best songs included "The Harder They Come", "Hypocrites", "Many Rivers to Cross", "Reggae Night", "Long Time No See", " Time Will Tell ", etc.

Indeed, he came, he sang and he conquered the Jamaican music scene as a reggae music pioneer.

In short, he was the vintage "Wahjahka Man"!

Although, he's gone, his music will continue to outlive him.

Adieu, Papa J.C.!

Rest in eternal bliss!





@hotseat

bewla:
Long time ago I hate reggae

Why do I have to listen to it self

I thought I was the only one...

I hate raggee. The only reggae person I love and listen to is Bob Marley.

They is one my sister loved then and used to play... Eric Donaldson his music made me think of death and I would beg her to stop playing it.

Lucky dube I hated his music too. They is one other one I can't remember his name but I think he was in a group with Bob Marley or had some sort of rivalry with him... possibly jimmy Cliff that I also liked his music just a bit!

brain54:
I thought I was the only one...

I hate raggee. The only reggae person I love and listen to is Bob Marley.

They is one my sister loved then and used to play... Eric Donaldson his music made me think of death and I would beg her to stop playing it.

Lucky dube I hated his music too. They is one other one I can't remember his name but I think he was in a group with Bob Marley or had some sort of rivalry with him... possibly jimmy Cliff that I also liked his music just a bit!

Peter Tosh was his name



a

I know I can't prove it, but somehow I think Peter Obi must have been involved in this most unfortunate affair! Reno, we need your to research and rewrite this story, please! A whole Jimmy Cliff unjustly thrown in jail in Nigeria over a contract dispute in UK and somehow they want us to believe Obi wasn't linked to this however old he was at the time? Okay, if he wasn't directly involved, his father or mother or both must have been involved!🙂

Haven't heard some of these songs in years. As someone alluded up there (in response to the story behind 'Have you heard the news') - Nigeria wahala no be yesterday e start.

I had always liked UB40's cover of "Many rivers to cross" (and still do very much) but the original by Jimmy Cliff...Jimmy Cliff's live performance of that song on Jools Holland's show some years ago was something else. Both the original and cover are my go to songs at certain times.

Rest in peace Mr. Jimmy Ciff. You were one of the originals.

Adieu, legend. Jimmy Cliff’s voice and spirit live on. Thank you for a lifetime of unforgettable music.

brain54:
I thought I was the only one...

I hate raggee. The only reggae person I love and listen to is Bob Marley.

They is one my sister loved then and used to play... Eric Donaldson his music made me think of death and I would beg her to stop playing it.

Lucky dube I hated his music too. They is one other one I can't remember his name but I think he was in a group with Bob Marley or had some sort of rivalry with him... possibly jimmy Cliff that I also liked his music just a bit!

Reggae music always confront our souls with reality, unfortunately not everyone is ready for that.

Legend exits the stage
Jah bless Rastafarari
Jah touch Humankind
Jah heal the Earth

When Nigeria was Nigeria

ukukaegbu:
That was then, before Nigeria became a "Now Disgraced Nation"

femi4:
When Nigeria was Nigeria

Nigeria wasn't exactly powerful back then, in a way....

I always laugh when I hear people say Nigeria was great back in the `1970's...back when 1) dissent could get you jailed 2) student protests were met with armed gunfire 3) fela's kalakuta republic was wrecked by armed intervention 4) oil boom was basically deceiving us that we were rich and powerful 5) most people were still poor and suffering.

Infact Fela's songs 'Zombie' and 'Suffering and smiling' describe that time quite well.

Even the 1980's you see people saying that times were good....lol..no be the same 1980's I experienced.?

Also, Cardi B came to Nigeria during Buhari's rule some years ago. Does that mean Nigeria was Nigeria when she came?

naptu2:
Jimmy Cliff Reggae Night - 1983


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Uh24QiJUI?si=KYgSVKXwVwWYs-PH

Thanks for this sir, being trying to remember what I call his "comeback song" since I heard he passed.

If you have a minute and are looking for topics to do, it would be great if you did a post on comeback songs, by which I mean musicians from the 60's avd 70's suddenly turning up in the 80's with synthesisers(?!) in their music in the music video era.

Jimmy Cliff, Eddy Grant, Aretha Franklin (with George Michael) , Whispers, Gladys knight (without the Pips) and many more.

nairalanda1:
Nigeria wasn't exactly powerful back then, in a way....

I always laugh when I hear people say Nigeria was great back in the `1970's...back when 1) dissent could get you jailed 2) student protests were met with armed gunfire 3) fela's kalakuta republic was wrecked by armed intervention 4) oil boom was basically deceiving us that we were rich and powerful 5) most people were still poor and suffering.

Infact Fela's songs 'Zombie' and 'Suffering and smiling' describe that time quite well.

Even the 1980's you see people saying that times were good....lol..no be the same 1980's I experienced.?

Also, Cardi B came to Nigeria during Buhari's rule some years ago. Does that mean Nigeria was Nigeria when she came?

We are talking about economy n security, you were talking about power. Those days we donated our 20kobo lunch money to support freedom of SA/Mandela

Those days, you could travel all night to the north n back with being kidnapped

vicfajeze:
The best reggae artist in the world.Sleep on

That was the great Peter Tosh, in my opinion.

Jimmy ran him close admittedly.

femi4:
We are talking about economy n security, you were talking about power. Those days we donated our 20kobo to support freedom of Mandela

Those days, you could travel all night to the north n back with being kidnapped

Economy was a false show., dependent on high oil prices. When the bottom fell out in 1982, palaver started. Nigeria has never had a good sustainable economy because we rely on income from oyel.

I mean the fact you had 20 k to donate does not mean everyone had 20 k to donate to everything. PLus we were overimporting, even the components we needed to make things here. That's why our domestic car manufacturing collapsed in the 1980's. It was not susatainable unless oil prices remained high.

Also, no kidnapping, but there was violent armed robbery and burglary and other crimes...and yes assasination. And when we got back to democratic rule in 1979, we had Maitatsine, and mass political thuggery and rigging(and a politican storming a coalition center armed with a gun to make sure vote was counted 'accurately').

And because na oil wey we dey rely on, not industries and innovation, we was laying the foundation for boko, ipob, etc back then...

Meanwhile China , who was behind us and sierra leone in 1973, was making the hard choices needed then. Now they are our lenders.

Nigeria has never been a good nation, and our leaders take power promising to make it good, yet nothing changes. See what is happening now.

Again, was Nigeria Nigeria when Cardi B came here under Buhari?

nairalanda1:
Economy was a false show., dependent on high oil prices. When the bottom fell out in 1982, palaver started. Nigeria has never had a good sustainable economy because we rely on income from oyel.

I mean the fact you had 20 k to donate does not mean everyone had 20 k to donate to everything. PLus we were overimporting, even the components we needed to make things here. That's why our domestic car manufacturing collapsed in the 1980's. It was not susatainable unless oil prices remained high.

Also, no kidnapping, but there was violent armed robbery and burglary and other crimes...and yes assasination. And when we got back to democratic rule in 1979, we had Maitatsine, and mass political thuggery and rigging(and a politican storming a coalition center armed with a gun to make sure vote was counted 'accurately').

And because na oil wey we dey rely on, not industries and innovation, we was laying the foundation for boko, ipob, etc back then...

Meanwhile China , who was behind us and sierra leone in 1973, was making the hard choices needed then. Now they are our lenders.

Nigeria has never been a good nation, and our leaders take power promising to make it good, yet nothing changes. See what is happening now.

Again, was Nigeria Nigeria when Cardi B came here under Buhari?

Economy was so good, naira was higher than pounds. Even Gowon to the world that our problem is how to spend the money.

This was the Nigeria that I lived not read on Google

He was also the major character in the movie "The harder the they come"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sXLFEkfvGE

One of the themes of the movie is the injustice recording artistes face with the recording companies.