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Majek Fashek (1963-2020): The Triumphs, the Storm, the Travails

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By Eric Elezuo

Could you believe that even age mates of late Majek Fashek believed he was 71 years, and was born in 1949. They claimed that was what the official record said…such naivety. One day, someone would tell them something different from their names, and they will believe because one supposedly ‘impeccable’ source has erroneously written it. I still wonder what we do with our brains, even with claims that we have been to school. Well, that is a story for another day!

He was only 25 years in 1988 when his glory filled not only the airwaves but the nook and crannies of the Nigerian music and entertainment circle. It didn’t stop there, Majekodunmi Fasheke, known as Majek Fashek for short, took his epic arrival into stardom more than a niche further, covering the world with his own form of ‘Righteousness’. He dished out hits after hits, making him the epicentre of Reggae music in Nigeria, competing favourably with the likes of Alpha Blonde and Lucky Dube in the Africa continent, and world icons like Robert Nester Marley, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaac and many more. New York Daily News hailed him as the spiritual heir to Bob Marley.

Majek Fashek occupied the late 80s and early 90s like a colossus, as his hit album, Prisoner of Conscience with the track ‘Send Down the Rain’, became a national anthem of some sort. Every child could sing the song; it was on the lips of every adult. And of course, it was interwoven with childlike chorus which heralds the arrival of mothers after a long absence. It was made for all ages; a product of long term planing. More so, its prophetic orientation and spiritual undertone made it a toast for all season.

In a 2013, when Fashek’s former bandmate and cousin, Amos McRoy, granted an interview with now defunct Entertainment Express Newspaper, he claimed that the singer told him the song ‘Send Down The Rain’ had a spiritual force behind it.

That was one of the things he told me in Cote d’Ivoire. Based on what he told me, I think he ‘crossed the line’ before he released the album,” McRoy said in that interview.

In Cote d’Ivoire, I asked him certain questions. His reply was: ‘Amos, are you that naive? I released Send Down The Rain, everywhere that song was played, rain must fall. Even in summer while we were on US tour, I played Send Down The Rain and rain fell. I released Free Mandela and that month Mandela was released. I did fire (Majek Beware) the week that record was released was the week the Rodney King incident happened. That song, Fire o! Fire o! was played for almost two months in all the TV and radio stations in Los Angeles during that Rodney King episode. So, are you that naive? Don’t you reason?

He practically started a musical revolution in 1988, and by 1989, he carted away six awards at the PMAN Awards including two of the most important nominations; the prestigious Album of the Year and Song of the Year categories. His Send Down the Rain competed in the category of millennial hits such as Nico Mbago’s Sweet Mother and Onyeka Onwenu’s One Love in not only national, but international appeals.

One thing is obvious, no Nigerian song has been so mythologized as ‘Send Down the Rain’ and by extension, Holy Spirit. He composed every song personally, and gave Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’ a touch of excellence when he remixed it. No one can deny that Fashek was a legend. A typical example of one who came during his time, saw and conquered. Many believed he had room for more conquest if not for the self-destructive mode he put himself. Reports had it that he dabbled into spiritism, not drug use, and ruined a God-given career.

This as much was confirmed by McRoy thus:

“Truth is Majek’s problem is spiritual. Majek strayed into spiritism.

Majek’s problem is not drug-related. He took to alcoholism to get over his real problem. Failing to keep the rules of whatever he delved into, he started to hallucinate. He started seeing things. For instance, if he was in a room, he would tell you ‘open the door, open the window’. If you tell him the air condition is on, he would say “Can’t you see them spirits; you want to trap the spirits. Men, let the spirits move around.”

In the peak of his career in 1991, Fashek visited New York for the first time, and that was when he released the track ‘Mashek Fashek Inna New York’. The excited attached to the song would reveal his clear human nature, as he x-rayed life in the city that never sleeps in comparison to what is obtainable in other cities of the world. He was practically surprised to see that there were homeless people, beggars and destitute in New York.

Born in February 1963 in Benin City, Edo State, Mashek Fashek, who was known as Rajesh Kanal in the early 80s when he started music, was part of a group called Jastix along with McRoy Gregg, and Black Rice who was the lead singer. They featured as the in-house band of a music show ‘Music Panorama’ which aired on NTA Benin. One can confidently say he was motivated by The Mandators, led by Victor Essiet. The group launched Reggae in Nigeria with ‘Sunrise’ in 1979.
He featured as one of the session musicians for an upcoming female Reggae singer known as Edi Rasta. Today, she is fondly remembered as Evi Edna Ogholi, arguably Nigeria’s Queen of Reggae. He went solo after Jastix disbanded, and signed on to Tabansi where he released ‘Send Down the Rain’ in 1988.
He followed up the success of the debut album with I&I Experience under Tabansi Records in 1989. The successes he recorded drew the attention of CBS Records Nigeria (now Sony Music), which released the album ‘So Long Too Long’ in 1990. In the same year, he signed to Interscope Records and released the album ‘Spirit of Love’ in 1991.
In 1992, Fashek make history as the first Nigerian singer to appear on a late-night TV show in America, the David Letterman Show, where he sang ‘So Long, Too Long’.
Many believe that Majek Fashek was a victim of inability to manage success. Though his success wasn’t spontaneous cause he worked for it, it came like an avalanche when it did. And in a space of three to five years, he became a toast of the music world. By the end of the 1990s, he was nowhere to be found though his songs still reverberate on the airwaves; his personality was gone. When he was spotted, he was a shadow of himself, a vegetable; highly emaciated. At a time, he was reportedly spotted in Ikeja begging for alms to buy cigarrete. He was losing it!
In the midst of his crisis, he managed to release an album ‘Rainmaker’ in 1997, and collapsed into oblivion for years until he resurfaced, after spirited efforts by well meaning Nigerians including his manager, Umenka Uzoma Day, to release ‘Little Patience’ with November Records. His person was gone…just the talent managed to showcase. People knew from the video that it was just a matter of time.
As at the time he visited Ovation Magazine in late 2017, he was practically inaudible; it was his manager who said most of the things on his behalf.
Until his death on June 1, 2020 as announced by Uzoma Day, in New York, the musical legend, Mashek Fashek, was battling to regain both his health and personality. He lost both! But the gift he gave to the world in his lyrics will forever live, and never to be tampered with.
Speaking on his death, Chairman, Music Society of Nigeria, Chief Tony Okoroji, who was the PMAN president when Fashek carted away six awrds in 1988, said “Majek is not dead, he travelled”
And like Majek himself said during the funeral of Ras Kimono, ‘Rastas don’t die’
Adieu the Rainmaker, Mashek Fashek!

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Popular Celebrity Award: Adeleke, Dele Momodu Hail Nigeria’s Entertainment As World Class

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The governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, and Publisher, Ovation International Magazine, Aare Dele Momodu have hailed the Nigerian entertainment industry as world-class by all standard.

The duo made the disclosure at the unveiling of a voting platform for Most Popular Celebrity Award in Osogbo, Osun State by Governor Adeleke.

Speaking with journalists at the Celebrity House, Osogbo, venue of the unveiling, Momodu said Nigerian music industry and Nollywood are global brands, adding that the award would further boost the industry’s rating towards becoming a global leader.

“The Nigerian entertainment industry is world-class, it is one that would become number one in the world. So, I am proud of what Osun state has done. Governor Ademola Adeleke is investing in the industry; he is from a family that is into entertainment with the likes of David Adeleke (Davido), Shina Rambo, B-Red among others.

“This project is aimed at producing more of Davidos, B-Reds, not just in the state but also across the country, hence, our decision to support the ambition.

“I urge Nigerians to join the platform and vote for their favourite celebrities. This is an industry that can solve the problem of unemployment if properly supported. It could take our youths out of poverty,” he said.

Declaring the platform opened, Governor Adeleke, who was represented by the Commissioner for Tourism, Abiodun Ojo, said the reason for the choice of Osun for the event is not far-fetched, saying the state is the cradle of entertainment with the likes of late Duro Ladipo, Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande), Yemi Elebuibon to the trendy Davido among others.

“Today, we are unveiling another landmark, a prestigious honour to creative minds. It is an integrity laced process and a unifying force to boost the industry, through an enigmatic progression that will create over 50,000 entrepreneurs Nationwide.

“This will be a drive to a sustainable data based National Recognition in form of an Award to Nigeria’s MOST POPULAR CELEBRITY for the year 2023 in 17 Categories to be crowned here in Osogbo,” he added.

The project coordinator, Solanke Hamzat, said the platform would offer fans opportunity to vote for their favourite celebrities in seventeen categories.

He said the platform is devoid of any technicalities and is making the fans the decider based on the influence such celebrity had on their lives.

The Osun State government under Governor Adeleke has been in the forefront of promoting tourism, culture, entertainment and more in the state.

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Glo Launches Naija Comedy Service to Boost Entertainment, Fun

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A new offer, Glo Naija Comedy Service, which features an array of video content from top Nigerian comedians has been unveiled by digital solutions company, Globacom.

Globacom explained in a press statement in Lagos that “Glo Naija Comedy Service, was designed to suit customers’ entertainment and fun needs and its available at the palm of customers’ hands on all android and i-phone devices and on any web browser of their choice.”

Glo stated that the stress-bursting video content service which is deployed in conjunction with NCC-licensed aggregators will feature the likes of Sabinus, Aki and Pawpaw and others, providing rib-cracking jokes and entertainment for the enjoyment of Nigerians. It added that “Glo Naija Comedy Service ensures there is something for everyone”.

The service, according to Globacom,  is easy to use and it works on all web browsers. It stated that there is no need to download any app to enjoy it, adding that “As long as a subscriber has an active data pack, he or she will be able to access Glo Naija Comedy Service and savour the fun”.

Customers can subscribe to the service by dialing the short code 55222 or *55222# while subscription for the service include daily subscription pack which attracts N20 per day, weekly subscription which goes for N100, and the monthly packages starting from N500.

Globacom said “Customers can also call Glo Customer Care Centre on short code 300 for additional information on the service.”

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Veteran Nollywood Actor, Mr Ibu Dies at 62

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Veteran Nollywood actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, loved for his comic roles in movies and skits, was confirmed dead.

He reportedly died on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at a hospital in Lagos from cardiac arrest.

His death came barely 24 hours after another actor, Quadri Oyebamiji, aka Sisi Quadri, passed away in Osun State.

Paying tributes to the late Okafor, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, wrote on his Instagram, “Sad day for the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Kate Henshaw lost her mother earlier today, and Mr Ibu suffered cardiac arrest, according to his manager of 24 years, Don Nwuzor. I announce with a deep sense of grief that Mr Ibu did not make it. May his soul rest in peace.”

On her part, an actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, wrote, “It is well…rest well, sir.”

Peter, a singer and member of the pop group, P-Square, wrote, “Rest well, Mr Ibu. We will definitely miss you, brother.”

Recall that Ibu had battled ill health for some time, leading to the amputation of his legs. This was after he had appealed to his fans and members of the public to pray for him and render financial assistance to cover his medical bills.

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