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
drinktalk.
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.
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
SOURCE: NET
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