LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

Help for Majek Fashek

By Uzoma Ahamefule

 

Can you still remember the “Rain maker”, a once handsome young looking man with a powerful voice, a ladies delight created with smooth face and well structured body? The rain magic maker, yes, I am talking about Majek Fashek, the man baptised "rain maker" by his Nigerian audience. When I saw Majek Fashek's current pictures and the way they looked so frightening and shocking, I wept.

"There comes a time when we heed a certain call,

when the world must come together as one.” And

“It is really true that there are choices we make that

save lives and make the world a better place.”

Majek Fashek took Nigerian music to another level in the late 80s and early 90s with his sweet melodies. He was then compared only to the best, the late king of Reggae, a legend and a visionary musician, Robert Nesta Bob Marley by many people that know his music. The rhythms of his musics could only be traceable to him alone while the lyrics of his songs were inspirational and educative. Anytime Majek Fashek had been on stage and sung one of his tracks titled "Send down the rain" hardly had he finished the first paragraph of this track as stated below no matter how sunny it was that it did not rain.

"The sky looks misty and cloudy

It looks like the rain is gonna fall today

Since morning I being sowing my seeds

Waiting for the rain to drop and water it up, e e h

I’m a hungry man and I don’t wanna be hungry

Send down the rain

Send down the rain, send down the rain

Everything in life has got its time and season, so you don’t have to ask my why

You don’t expect to sow cassava and reap up cocoyam

You don’t expect to sow rice and reap up cassava

Whatever I n I soweth in this word must surely reap

I’m a living man

Got a lot of work to do

Send down the rain

Papa papa papa yo

Mama mama mama yo

Send down the rain …”

Majek Fashek’s incredible stage performances with this track "Send down the rain" created magnificent awareness then that could only now be likened to the active days of Mike Tyson who had forced late comers to boxing venues to wake up or else they would be busy struggling to buy tickets for his match and the match would have been over because his opponent had been overwhelmingly taken to the cleaners in the first round within seconds.

The same manner, Majek Fashek was invited in some West African cities that had had no rain for a long time with the sole aim to come and sing his music track “Send down the rain” so that it would rain for them to plant their crops and water up their seeds. He was then in the class of Mandators, Orits Williki, Ras Kimono and Alex O etc. or even a little bit higher than some of them in the Nigerian chart of musicians locally and internationally.

He was a highly talented guitarist combined with an amazing voice. He improved Nigeria’s music and image around the globe with his musical messages when the world took everything about Nigeria to be evil because of bad leadership, fraud, corruption and massive loot of Nigeria’s wealth by the military junta. The experience he had on one of his tours in America led him to sing a song titled “Majek Fashek in the New York” where he explained that he had never known that there were beggars in the streets of New York because of our complex nature of painting everything about America gold that had deeply affected the mentality of many of our children who abandoned their education, good jobs and their businesses in pursuit of greener pastures as plate washers and street sweepers in the USA and other developed countries.

“Rumour has it that he is homeless in the city of California

and I tried everything humanly possible by calling every person

or body I felt that could be helpful with the information about

his whereabouts and condition without success.”

Please help, one of the most celebrated artists in Nigeria, Majek Fashek is dying. Kindly try to look for Majek Fashek photos before and now then you will understand my concerns better. Where did Majek Fashek get it wrong?

There have been rumours that the reason behind his ordeal now is traceable to the magical powers he associated with that his wonderful track titled “Send down the rain”that made it almost certain for rain to fall each time he had been on stage and sung that track. But there are strong indications that Majek Fashek is suffering from drug abuse. However, no matter where the problem came from the bitter truth is that Majek Fashek needs our help.

“We all cannot wait for Majek Fashek to die to give him a befitting burial

with newspapers advertisement, editorial praises, killing so many cows and

providing so many drinks for people to drink to stupor and bury him in an

expensive casket while we abandoned him when he was alive.”

Where is Majek Fashek? Rumour has it that he is homeless in the city of California and I tried everything humanly possible by calling every person or body I felt that could be helpful with the information about his whereabouts and condition without success. Here are some of the PMAN officers’ responses to my enquiries in trying to find out the true states of Majek Fahek and what they have done to help him.

 The first vice president of PMAN Eng. George Durueke, “I do not know Majek Fashek’s whereabouts now and cannot confirm if it is true that he is homeless in California or not but since you have informed me, I promise to make inquiries tomorrow,” Chief Morocco Maduka, PMAN state Governor, Anambra state, “I do not know anything about Majek Fashek” meaning Majek Fashek’s condition “and I am hearing it for the first time.”

Danjuma Musa Kaduna state PMAN Governor, “The picture of Majek Fashek I saw last time was bad that is all I know and cannot confirm if he is homeless or not but thank you for your concern I will make calls and get back to you, I appreciate.” Another gossip has it that Majek Fashek is currently in Nigeria trying to re-discover his lost glory with the help of few good spirited Nigerians.

However, the last time I watched Majek Fashek was in U-Tube where he was still his old person preaching love and unity while his look brought me to tears that finally pushed me to take action.

I call on the “Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria” (PMAN) to please help with the rehabilitation of Majek Fashek before he dies.

They should as a matter of urgency genuinely with perseverance come to his aid because he might not be able to help himself alone right now. When the golden voice of Nigerian music died, Chief Christ Essien Igbokwe PMAN as an entity and its members participated physically active and they were also financially visible that they even had accusations of misappropriation of money which led Tony Okoroji and Onyeka Owenu to go to court as reported.

 Nigerians stood still and millions of naira was spent to give her a memorable burial as someone we all loved and cherished while our press men and women congratulated her in death and eulogised her as a hero which she deserved.

The death of Evangelist Sunny Okosun who used his music and fought the wicked apartheid regime in South Africa sponsored by Britain and supported by USA to submission was equally not different, but today the reality is stark naked before us because while the deaths of our lovingly Chief Christ Essien Igbokwe and the patriotic pan-African nationalist Evangelist Sunny Okosun were beyond human control, the case of Majek Fashek cannot be said to be the same today because his situation is still within our reach and as such redeemable.

Can we all be magnanimous enough to show a little kindness and shine the light for him to see again? Can PMAN be kind as much as necessary and organise shows within and outside Nigeria with Nigerian musicians and their foreign counterparts that would be interested to participate in the concerts just to help to raise funds for Majek Fashek's rehabilitation programmes?

According to PMAN’s statute they will do whatever the association deems desirable in this situation to help its members and I quote “To publish and distribute periodicals, newspapers, books, leaflets, documents, magazine, sheet music and other related publications and documents that the Association may deem desirable in the promotion of its interest and that of its members.” And in another paragraph it says that “To organize joint recording and musical performance of members to promote unity and raise funds for the association and/or any charitable cause.”

I personally believe that nothing should call for charitable actions more than a life threatening situation. I call on the Edo state government and her indigenes; the Federal government of Nigeria and good hearted Nigerians all over the world to please help save the life of this Nigerian God made Bob Marley.

The Federal government of Nigeria and the Edo state government should not wait for our Majek Fashek to die and then sing praises of him with national and state awards. Majek Fashek in his track "Send down the rain" said "You don't expect to sow cassava and reap up cocoyam." He may have sowed wrongly out of youthful exuberance and as such had gone astray.

Do we all close our eyes and allow him sink when we know we could help put smiles on his face and his families again? Who is that person born of a woman without blame? Let us not throw this child with birth water because Majek Fahsek is still full of talent, capably blessed to storm the world again, perhaps in a different form. He would still be very useful to Nigeria and the world especially in the campaign against drug abuse.

Do not forget that national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was once a drug addict but today he has won millions of fans for Christ and he is a very good ambassador for Nigeria. He once said "[...] 40 years ago, [...] I could still picture myself, a young man with no direction, all messed up and mixed up in life, totally hooked on drugs [...] but somehow I found myself in the midst of Christians [...]."

Today is not only that Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor is a total changed person but he is a beacon of freedom in so many homes and families to the shame of the devil. As you read this article; are you touched? Do you know that you could be one of those Christians that rescued Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in the life of Majek Fashek?

 If you are touched ask yourself; how can I help? Take this message to as many people as you can because it could be the catalyst of the change we are looking for. God is a spirit that uses humans to amend catastrophic situations and gives hope to the hopeless. Do not shy away from any calling because whomever that runs away from responsibilities runs away from promotions.

“God is a spirit that uses humans to amend

catastrophic situations and gives hope to the hopeless.”

As the best American singers came together for the sake of humanity and peace to sing an inspirational and a well worded song titled "We are the world" I once more encourage Nigerian musicians under PMAN not to abandon Majek Fashek in this his dark time. The lyrics of that song "We are the world" were so peaceful and powerful, it says;

“Do not shy away from any calling because whomever that

runs away from responsibilities runs away from promotions.”

"There comes a time when we heed a certain call

When the world must come together as one

There are people dying and it’s time to lend a hand

To life, the greatest gift of all

We can’t go on pretending day by day

That someone somewhere will soon make a change

We are all part of God’s great big family

And the truth

You know

Love is all we need

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let’s start giving ...."

Yes, there is joy in sharing and there is progress in giving because givers never lack. There are moments we must heed some certain calls like Majek Fashek’s call now because we are part of God’s great family. It is really true that there are choices we make that save lives and make the world a better place. We all cannot wait for Majek Fashek to die to give him a befitting burial with newspapers advertisement, editorial praises, killing so many cows and providing so many drinks for people to drink to stupor and bury him in an expensive casket while we abandoned him when he was alive. The best burial we all can give Majek Fashek is now.

The best awards for Majek Fashek are now and not when he dies. Nigerian press men and women should please wake up to this clarion call and begin to create the positive awareness needed for the plight of Majek Fashek to turn around.

Everyone that believes in humanity should rise and make a contribution as much as one could for Majek Fashek to stand on his feet firmly again. This help could come in different forms and must not necessarily mean money. Some people could of course help with money or counselling, while some may come in with professional advice and creating awareness etc. Let’s show brotherhood.

Majek Fashek, a proud owner of the “Prisoner of conscience” album in 1991 sang in some of his other albums tracks like “Cover the world, cover the earth oh righteousness” and “Holy Spirit take over the world now,” in the same vain I pray that the Holy Spirit will take over his life now and cover him with righteousness while we the concerned people will help him as a prisoner of conscience to brake the wall of Jericho and free him from the shackles of the devil that has kept him in the states of regrets, mockery and shadow of his old self.

This is a wake-up call to all those that love humanity to join in this crusade for our Majek Fashek to live and tell his own story. Who can help to heal Majek Fashek? Do not be sarcastic about his situation and do not claim to be righteous for we all have sinned and come short of the glory of the lord.

Who the cap fits let him wear it so chorused by late Bob Marley. Today the caps fit better the Governor of Edo state His Excellency comrade Adams Oshimole, the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and of course fellow heart spirited Nigerians. On these caps we are wearing, it is written “If we agree in unison the bone shall rise again for Majek Fashek.”

“As tears wet my papers now and cover my eyes while writing

these words, Fashek, it is my love for you and as Lucky Dube sang,

wherever you are just know it that I will always remember you and

whatever you do no matter your condition, I love you.”

Late Lucky Dube in one of his touching tracks “Remember me” which I call his biography in his album titled "Prisoner" he sang how his daddy had left their family many years ago with the promise to come back and take care of them but that many years had gone and there was still no sign of his daddy coming back home.

He sang that his mother died of a heart attack as soon as she heard that his daddy had got married to another woman, and that he was the only one left in the family wandering in the streets of Soweto without any place to call his home. Irrespective of the callousness of his daddy in his upbringing, but because of love, he still had sung, “Daddy wherever you are, remember me, in whatever you do I love you.” As tears wet my papers now and cover my eyes while writing these words, Fashek, it is my love for you and as Lucky Dube sang, wherever you are just know it that I will always remember you and whatever you do no matter your condition, I love you.

Who is a rich person? A rich person is not that person that has got many mansions, expensive cars, gold, jewelleries, best education, billions in the account or that uses the most expensive fragrance etc. but rather a rich person is that person that has affected positive changes in other people’s lives. That person that has saved lives or that has made difficult sacrifices for others to live, that person that has used his/her position to wipe the tears and pains of others and turn their sorrows to joy, this is the ideal accomplished rich person. How rich are you?

Let’s use our talents, positions and money to make the world a better place. According to John Mason “The world is blessed mostly by people who do things, and not those who talk about things and do nothing.”

Majek Fashek needs your help.

For further information contact PMAN: Phone, +234-8033052209, +234-7036651111, +234-80382532