Family, friends bid farewell to Ibo Cooper

Many good, great, and gracious words were said and sung in tribute to music icon, Kingsley Michael McKinson ‘Ibo’ Cooper at the University Chapel, The University of the West Indies, on Thursday, and tears, too, were shed for a man who everyone agreed was imbued with a strong sense of purpose and who understood his assignment that “to whom much is given, much is required”.

It was a day on which the sun shone brightly, in contrast to the bleakness and the rains of the previous day - the elements were not into playing that pathetic fallacy game – and those who came to say their last farewell adhered to the all-white dress code as requested by the family. It all made sense because Ibo Cooper’s baptismal name, Wolde Gabriel, means Son of Angel Gabriel.

Consummate keyboardist and musical maestro that he was, it was only natural that music would be the entrée, the main course, and the desert for any thanksgiving service for Ibo Cooper. Inside the chapel, the front pews were reserved for the mini orchestra, and, of course, the drummers. All the players of instruments were in total harmony, and there were many high musical moments. Dean Fraser, Glen Browne, Okiel McIntyre, Congo Billy Watson, and Carol Raymond McLaughlin playing the iconic Satta Massagana during the magnificently regal processional led by officiating clergy from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was one such. And the Third World family, comprising Cat Coore, Willie Stewart, Richie Daley, Prilly Hamilton, Tony Williams, Norris Webb, AJ Brown, Karl Barovier, and Robbie Lyn pouring their hearts into Dreamland was incomparable.

Tributes came from Dorrett Campbell, interim principal of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts; the Jamaica College Old Boys Association; Mark Golding, leader of the Opposition; a representative for Minister of Culture Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, who was sick; friend and colleague, Dr Roger Williams; Ewan Simpson, chairman, Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA); and Coleen Douglas. They all agreed on one theme: Ibo was a one-of-a-kind human being who loved family above all else and was big on uplifting others.

The tributes in the funeral booklet were a testament to Cooper’s legendary status.

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica P. J. Patterson, hailed the Third World Band co-founder as “a true son of Jamaican soil”; Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding described him as “a trailblazer and a legend”; Elaine Wint called him “a star”; for Charles Campbell, Cooper was “our reggae ambassador”; Gussie Clarke hailed him as ‘Ibo Cooper … the legendary’; for Mary Isaacs, he was “a black pearl”; and JaRIA penned a letter simply titled ‘To Sir, with love’.

In a short, but powerful address, moderator and speaker the Rev’d Astor Carlyle, an “ignoble lump of clay [who was used] to proclaim eternal truth” started his sermonette singing the song “If I could help somebody along the way then my living shall not be in vain”.

“Ibo left a profound mark, not only on the musical landscape, but on this Earth. As I reflected on the contribution of Ibo’s life, a little statement that Jesus made in Luke chapter 12 verse 48 kept coming into my heart. Listen to what Jesus said: ‘To whom much is given, much will be required,” Carlyle said, as he reflected on the goodness and godliness that was Cooper’s life.

All three children Arianne, Akiri and Abean gave remebrances that spoke to their father’s unconditional love.

Akiri explained that his father’s name could best be explained in three words: Intelligent, Benevolent, and Obedient.

“My father was the smartest person I know. He could walk into any room and be a formidable sparring partner,” Akiri said as he shared that Ibo would take him and his siblings to the SOS Children’s home just to spend time with them.

“[He was] obedient to his faith, his task at hand ... anything he was doing had to have that Ibo COoper stamp of quality. Last but not least, his loved ones, especially my mother. My father never missed an anniversary or an opportuity to show her that he loved her,” Akiri Cooper said in praise of his father.

Ibo Cooper’s wife of 50 years predeceased him by two weeks. In closing, Akiri stated that “even though this is an occasion for him, I see this occasion as a joining of the two on the other side, so I won’t say Rest In Peace, but rather, Romance In Paradise”.

The recessional hymn, Fly Away Home was done by the Third World family and friends, and long after the clergy exited the chapel, the drummers, singers, and even a dancer remained inside performing an extended musical tribute.

A private urnation ceremony will be held for Ibo Cooper at a later date.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com