Last Updated on July 27, 2020, 8:02 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Buju Banton won the Jamaica Festival Song Competition 2020 with his entry named, ‘I am a Jamaican’.
Buju emerged the winner from amongst 10 finalists.
This year, there were more than 250 entrants in the competition.
The Grammy winner took home with the prize of $3 million and he suggested that his charity would be a beneficiary of the prize.
He said upon receiving the cheque that the true winner is the Sunbeam Boys’ Home.
Papa Michigan was placed second, with his entry Jamaica Dance, while, Sakina Deer, one of the two female finalists, was placed third with her entry named ‘We are Jamaica’.
Buju Banton was one of the favourites on social media.
Other social media favourites included Freddie McGregor and Nazzleman, but neither of them made it to the top three.
The winners of this year were decided through public voting, and the competition was staged as a virtual event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Olivia’ Babsy’ Grange, Entertainment and Culture Minister said that she was satisfied to see the enthusiasm, display of patriotism and renewed interest.
Grange said that success has provided Jamacia with the perfect springboard to reach greater heights.
She had revealed earlier this year that the event was being rebranded to return it to its past glory and for making it more attractive.
The Festival Song Competition in Jamaica was first started in the year 1966 and was based on the concept of giving Jamaicans a feel-good vibe at the time of Independence.
The winner of the Jamaica Festival Song is meant to be on the lips of everyone and a call to action in the Diaspora and at home.
The winning song is also meant to be the backdrop of the celebrations of the Jamaica Festival Independence.
Among the big winners of the prize in the past are Toots and the Maytals, Hopeton Lewis, Roy Rayon, Eric Donaldson, Tinga Stewart and Nazzleman.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
