Mural unveiled for Jackie Opel, family believes it’s about time

Musical genius and father of Spouge music in Barbados, Jackie Opel now has a national day in his name, an amphitheatre as well as a mural, and his family believes that it’s about time.

On Saturday afternoon at 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 came as a mural was unveiled in the presence of his family and a number of government officials.

“I feel great. The time has come for them to try and do something for him because this is a long time that they weren’t really doing nothing for him,” Greaves told Barbado TODAY.

Greaves added that she hopes that the recognition of her famous father, whose real name is Dalton Sinclair Bishop, continues.

She pointed out that she believes that more should be done to honour the legacy of her father.

“I think there should be a lot [more] because he did a lot for Barbados, he helped some of the musicians get where they are and he tried to help everybody,” she said.

“I think [they] should do something he would be proud of and his children and his grandchildren. When I go I could say well at least 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 even though they did not live together. She said his memory should be cherished.

“I didn’t really live with  him, I lived with my grandmother but he would come and look for me and bring things for me and we would talk,” she explained.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Culture) Dr Shantal Munro-Knight said that the Mia Mottley administration is committed to honouring the life of those cultural legends who came before.

“Not only in terms of looking forward but remembering and celebrating others. Jackie’s contribution has been so extensive if you look at what he’s done in terms of the development of Spouge, that says something about who Barbados is as a country,” she told Barbados TODAY.

Opel’s legacy should serve as a huge encouragement for aspiring musicians especially under a  new republic, Munro-Knight explained.

“I think there is a budding awareness from young musicians in studying Jackie’s legacy and his contribution but I think it will give a degree of confidence for who we are as a people and what the art form can do and where it can take you,” she added. (MR)