Bobo Ashanti

John (Yochanan) 14:2

² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I got to prepare a place for you.

Prince Emmanuel Charles Edwards 'Dada'

  The Bobo Ashanti Order, also called the Ethiopian International Congress, was founded in 1958 in Jamaica, by Prince Emmanuel Charles Edwards, considered by many to be the reincarnation of Yahushua. Prince Emmanuel, Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie are regarded as part of the Holy Trinity. Selassie is regarded as King and God, Garvey is perceived to be a Prophet and Emmanuel a High Priest. Additionally, some Bobos see Idi Amin, the former ruler of Uganda during the 1970s, as a second coming of Garvey.  Bobo Ashanti members live apart from society, their base is in Bull Bay, Jamaica. But nowadays the group can also be found in the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Trinidad.

  Bobo Ashanti are one of the stricted Mansions of Rastafari, they wear brightly coloured turbans to cover their dreadlocks, and long flowing robes to dress themselves. The members of the Ashanti order are all strict vegan and stick to the biblical restrictions regarding their vow. Returning to their diet, the Bobo Ashanti fast twice a week and on the first day of every month. They also adhere to a strict communal life, apart of society as I mentioned earlier, where women are separated from men. The Bobos have built a strong relationship with the local community outside of Bobo Hill and they often invite people to their services. Women and children are considered subordinate to men; a women may serve food to a guest, but never to a Bobo male; apart from that, the women' garments must cover their arms and legs. All children attend a basic school called Jerusalem School Room, and only after that, they can go to Kingston to school, but fortunately that is seldom. Almost all men within the community is seen as prophets or priests. The function of a prophet is to reason, and of a priest is to conduct the services.
  The Bobo Ashanti do not accept the laws and principles of Jamaican society, which means that they do not accept the principles and laws of many other countries.
  The Bobo Ashanti do smoke ganja, but not in public, because it is a spiritual rite only to be carried out during periods of worship. The Ashanti movement is concerned with fulfilling the campaign 'Back to Africa' created by Marcus Garvey, reuniting Africans with their homeland and abandoning contact with Western Society. Some members of this group feel black people should be given monetary rewards for the slavery they have endured.

The Name 'Bobo Ashanti', the Flag and the Hymns

  In relation to the name of their order, the word Bobo means black and Ashanti was the name of an African tribe from Kumasi in Ghana. Their also fly their flag in a different way to other Ras Tafari groups, they fly the Red, Gold and Green flag with Red at the top, while other groups fly it the other way up. Almost all songs and tributes within the community end with the phrase "Holy Emmanuel I Selassie I Yah Rastafar-I"

Elements of their daily life reflect the Jewish Mosaic Law

  The Bobo Ashanti honour the Sabbath, from sundown on Friday. And during the Sabbath the use of salt and oil is avoided and no work can be carried out. They have special rules for menstruating women. And also special group greetings.