You may have heard of the Rastafarians, but there’s a new musical movement on the horizon: the Kristofarians. Led by Evangelist Awe Peters, affectionately known as Mama Lucee, this passionate group of reggae enthusiasts birthed the Kristofarian Movement in 2021, and officially registered as the ‘Gospel Reggae Team Initiative’ with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
In an exclusive chat with AkweyaTV, Mama Lucee revealed that the Kristofarian Movement’s mission is to harness the power of reggae music for soul-winning, discipleship, reorientation, and nation-building. Drawing parallels between reggae and football, she believes that reggae has the unique capacity to unite people.
This spiritual musical movement currently revolves around two major activities. The first is the annual International Gospel Reggae Festival, known as the “Rydeem of Light.” This yearly event gathers gospel reggae artists from across the globe to perform and bless others. The 2022 edition featured notable artists like Ben Priest, who has roots in reggae and previously sang as a backup singer for Lucky Dube.
The Kristofarian Family sees itself as the bridge between the old phase of reggae and a new, Christ-centred phase. Mama Lucee, who underwent a personal transformation from self-righteousness to God’s righteousness, emphasises that the new phase involves being filled with the Holy Ghost rather than indulging in substances like weed.
Besides the festival, the Kristofarian Family hosts ‘The Kristofarian Jam Sessions’ on AkweyaTV every Friday and on NTA Makurdi every last Tuesday of the month. Additionally, they have plans for an annual reggae conference focused on discipleship and teaching the righteousness of God.
The Kristofarian Family comprises over 42 members from various backgrounds and churches, all united by their love for reggae. Some were former weed-smoking Rastafarians who have now found spiritual rebirth.
Mama Lucee stated that every reggae music lover should be considered a “son of Jah.” She draws a powerful connection between the lion in the reggae logo, symbolising the lion of the tribe of Judah, crowned and carrying a cross, and Christ’s sacrifice for the world’s salvation.
One of the challenges faced by gospel reggae artists has been rejection by the church. However, Mama Lucee believes that more people are now stepping forward as the Kristofarian platform paves the way for acceptance and understanding.
Mama Lucee also announced the International Gospel Reggae Festival 2023, titled “Let There Be Light,” scheduled for November 25, 2023, at the Art and Culture Cinema Hall in Abuja. The festival promises to feature renowned gospel reggae artists from around the world.
Evangelist Lucy Awe Peters, known as Mama Lucee, is a celebrated international gospel reggae artist with a rich catalogue of 13 albums. Through the Kristofarian Movement, she and her team are on a mission to bring Christ-centred reggae to the world, uniting music and faith in a powerful way.
