Majekodunmi Fasheke, known more as Majek Fashek, is a well- known Nigerian reggae musician, whose popularity reached the zenith in the late 80s with his popular song, “Send down the Rain.”
For many years, he was not only a darling of reggae music lovers, but also those who like good music. He later went to the United States of America, from where different stories trailed his life. He spoke on many issues in this interview.
It seems reggae music is going down in Nigeria. Unlike other genres of music, there has not been any new thing in reggae music. So, as a reggae musician, how do you intend to revive it?
Reggae music cannot go down, because reggae music is like a gospel music, we just need the right people to play it, that is it. But, why reggae music is going down is just because we don’t have the right people to play it. In our time, we had competition, Kimono, me, Oritz Wiliki, we had what I can call destructive competition like what they had in juju music then.
Some people are saying Majek is from Ilesa in Osun State, others are saying you are from Benin in Edo State. Can you clear the air?
My father was from Ilesa and Abeokuta, that is, my father’s parents were from Ilesa and Abeokuta, but my mother came from Benin. No mixture.
Let’s talk about friends; before Hajia came into the picture, people said your friends abandoned you. How true is that?
I came to save Nigeria.
I mean how do you feel about being dumped by friends, I am not asking you why you came to Nigeria…
Hold on, forget about friends. I came to Nigeria, I am revisionary, and why do you think I am sitting down here? People are coming to enslave Nigeria again, and I am here to save Nigeria and you are here talking about friends. God sent me to come and save Nigeria, they want to come and overthrow Nigeria again through subsidy. If that subsidy succeeded, Nigeria would have died.
Your music, Send Down the Rain, was a hit then even up till now. What gave you the inspiration for that track?
It was God. God did everything. See, let me talk about Nigeria. People are suffering, people are dying and yet government is not doing anything about it. Government is expected to be paying our electricity bill, people pay their bills, yet they are not enjoying it. I want to become the president of Nigeria but I need $100 million to make that dream come true.
Is presidency for sale?
No, it’s not for sale, but I want to be a revisionary president.
But I am sure if you have $100 million, you would not bother to run for presidency again?
No, I am very serious o; I want to be the president of Nigeria. We are leaving in hell in Nigeria. One doesn’t need to die before going to hell. We are already in hell in Nigeria.
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