It took me a while to find my way to the Sewage Road, Gowon Estate
residence of Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek.
As I knocked
on the gate, a young man named Ogaga came to attend to me. I introduced myself
as a Journalist from Nigerian Entertainment Today (NET) and explained my
mission. He tried to dissuade me from seeing the rainmaker, insisting that I
needed to speak with the management before I could chat with him.
But Majek
heard our dialogue, rushed to the gate and insisted that I come in. The
nineties hit-maker was dressed in a denim shirt and jeans. It was 10am in the
morning of Friday January 25. Majek was already reeking of alchohol.
Since Ogaga
had warned me against having an interview with the veteran reggae artiste, I
left the premises and waited not too far from the house, hoping to catch
Majek coming out of the apartment.
I was
determined to speak with the man who many say has become mentally imbalanced,
about to roam the streets.
And it was
my lucky day, as 25 minutes later, Majek wandered out of the house. I
approached him and he readily suggested a place we could go and talk.
For a man
who was admired all over the world, and tipped to be the next big thing after
Bob marley, Majek has become a shadow of himself.
After
agreeing to buy him a bottle of Big Stout, while also giving him N500 (he asked
for N4,000), we get to sit down for a quick, albeit revealing chat…
Your
album was scheduled to be released sometime this month, is that still possible?
The album is
ready. It will be released next month. It is titled ‘I Am Not Afraid.’
Who
are the artistes that you featured on the album?
I featured
Blackface and Tuface.
Reports
have it that you are having problems with your label?
Yes, we are
having problems. Haija (his manager) wants to cheat me. We had an
agreement that she would get me accommodation, a car and other things. I’m in
this house now and there’s no light (electricity). I have been here suffering.
They also monitor my movement as if I am a child. The Mercedes Benz they gave
me is lying out there broken.
They say
they need four hundred thousand naira (N400,000) to repair the vehicle. Here I
am, I have nothing. Little Wizkid has a jeep while I have nothing. I have a
green card, I can always go back to America, but God said I should not go yet.
I allow Hajia to do as she pleases because she is a woman and she is like a
daughter to me.
Do you
have children or family you could have been staying with?
I have four
boys, and they are all in America with their mother, an Igbo woman. I can’t ask
my children to come to Nigeria because if they experience NEPA, they won’t like
me again. The eldest is in college now and he is a rapper. He has just been
signed by the American rapper, Lil Wayne. You know you can’t compare American
rap with Nigerian rap. Nigerians can rap but they don’t have the swagger of the
Americans.
So
which young Nigerian artistes that you like?
You know
these days they use a drum machine. There are hardly any real musicians amongst
them. I like Wizkid and 2face. They play good music. I don’t like that other
boy they call D’banj; those ones that went to join Illuminati. How can you go
and sell your soul to the devil because you want to be famous? I don’t even
like his music anyway.
Have
you read stories saying you’re going mad?
I didn’t
read it, I was told by my boys in this beer parlour. Look at me, am I mad? I’m
a strong man. I may look old and rough right now, but I know what I’m saying
and what I’m doing. Many people think that Majek has gone and that Majek is no
more, but I’m still here and I’m probably going to live longer than a lot of
you.
Your
label also reported you missing. Where were you the whole time?
I was in
heaven. I went to see Fela Anikulapo Kuti in heaven. I was in heaven the whole
time they were looking for me. Fela was not happy with me. He told me that some
people want to kill Femi (Kuti). He said that Femi is his heir and that there
are some elements that are trying to assassinate him. He told me that he will
hold me responsible if anything should happen to Femi. He even gave me this
ring I’m wearing.
Did he
say who was trying to kill Femi?
He said the
government.
Did he
mention a specific name?
He just said
the government.
Do you
still use cocaine?
I have never
ever used cocaine. I don’t do drugs. It is just me, my beer and my ogogoro
(local gin).
Are
you saying you didn’t do drugs in America?
I never did
drugs. It was just a conspiracy to get me off my music because I was speaking
and singing the truth.
Conspiracy
by whom?
By the
powers that be. Powers in high places.
You
sound like a very spiritual person…
I am a very
spiritual man. I am a ‘juju’ on my own. Sometimes I can go into a trance and
relate with spirits in the spirit world. The ‘Cele’ tried to stop me, they
couldn’t. The ‘aladura’ also tried but they couldn’t tame me. As I am, no
spirit can do anything [to me].
Do you
miss the glory days when you were one of the biggest artistes in Africa?
I’m still in
my glory days. I’m still a legend. I still play my music every Friday night in
this joint. In America we have what we call royalties, money paid the artiste
for each time his music or video is played. I still get my royalties. I still
have my guitar and I play it all the time
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