In Search of a Lost Icon

Questions track the whereabouts of renowned reggae singer, Majek Fashek; where is he, what is he up to and will he be back? To answer these posers, Euince Nze went on his trail.
No doubt, a lot of speculations have trailed the life and career of the artiste born Majekodunmi Fasheke, but none has been able to truly establish where he is or what he is presently up to. Majek attracted international attention in 1987 when his song, Send Down the Rain, appeared to draw down a rain storm that ended one of the worst draughts in Nigeria ‘s history. The song was an instant hit and won him six US-based Performing Musicians association of Nigeria PMAN, Music Awards among others.
Born in Benin City to an Edo mother, he inherited his love for music from his mother who raised him following the death of his father when he was just eleven years old. She inspired him through her participation in traditional religious ceremonies where the Olokun rhythms were used to accompany worship of the river goddess in Benin, Edo State . As a youngster, Majek played maracas during the ceremonies.
He acquired fame in the early 1980s as a member of Jastix, a Benin-based reggae group, alongside. Shortly after Jastix disbanded in 1987, he opted for a solo career and almost immediately became the most celebrated reggae singer in the country. In 1990, he was signed to Interscope Records, an American label, where he released Spirit of Love, produced by ‘Little Steven’ Van Zandt. He went on to record several albums for various labels including Rainmaker for Tuff Gong in 1997 and Little Patience for Coral in 2004.
With time however, Majek’s fame began to dwindle. It started with the rumour that he had been involved in drugs in the United States . He practically went invisible in the music terrain and no seemed to know what was happening to him. It was said that he lost the contract with Interscope because he would not show up for concerts, then he started appearing shabby and worn-out on shows which made him gradually lose audiences.
Following public concern over his well being at home, he once granted pressmen an interview where he refuted rumours that claimed he was crazy. He had said; ‘I am not crazy and I don’t have a drug problem, though I do have an alcohol problem. It is not because I like to drink. When my mother died I felt a part of me left with her. To lose someone so dear and so close to you can be extremely painful. In an attempt to come to terms with this loss, alcohol became a chosen part to communicate my pains to her and also to journey into a mystical world…’
The Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, decided to intervene. He promised to return the singer back on the path of fame and gave directives for him to start a rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the state commissioner for health, Dr. Moses Momoh. The governor also gave Majek opportunity to perform at the celebration of his first Workers’ Day in office held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, on May 1, 2009. But fans, who had trooped out enmasse in honour of one of the greatest stars to have risen out the city, nay Nigeria, were aghast at his appearance. Majek looked the ghost of his chubby self.
Azuka Jebose Molokwu, a former columnist with Punch newspapers who now presents reggae music on WSHA 88.9FM, North Carolina, USA, breezed into the country recently and granted Chuks Nwanne of Guardian Life an interview. Molokwu says he has known Majek since his days at Tabansi while he was a young reporter.
He recalls that Majek was featured in David Leatherman’s Show, one of the biggest TV shows on the CBS then, as far back as 1991. ‘Majek performed live in that show. I was like; “Wow! Majek on David Leatherman’s Show?” You know, David had all the movie superstars. It was amazing for Majek to be on the show ahead of Barrack Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, even Oprah. It doesn’t matter if he had just a few minutes on the show; for me, it was the ultimate for him.’
Molokwu further claims he once wrote a letter to the producer/organizers of a TV programme called Arts & Entertainment (A&E) to see if Majek could be invited on the programme. The programme counsels people with drug and alcoholism problems. According to him, ‘After three days, an e-mail was sent to me, inviting Majek on the show. They said they would give me a camera to do a documentary on Majek, but that we should not tell him that the documentary was for him to go for treatment. However, they insisted that Majek must call them, which he never did.’
During the ThisDay Music Festival to mark the country’s 46th Independence anniversary in 2006, some Nigerians based in the USA tried to get Majek to take part in the event, his first homecoming in about seven years Molokwu says he spent 12 hours at the John F. Kennedy Airport waiting for Majek; ‘what saved us was the change of flight departure time to later in the day to enable Beyonce and Jay Z’s crew meet up with us because it was a chartered flight. I could got hold of Majek, so they moved the departure to 10.30pm as against 3.00pm. Then they had to delay the plane till 10.45pm, when I walked down to pick up Majek. Despite his mistakes, Majek was, is and will always be a force to reckon with in the reggae industry. He can indeed rise again. After all, Whitney Houston was almost ruined by drugs but she was helped by people who she had touched with her music. Today, she is back and stronger.