May 1985: I was 15, and used to hang out with the Benson sisters (Yinka, Bodunrin & Jumoke) with whom I shared a deep love for music.
Their older brother, Yemi, was also musically inclined, as he played in a reggae group called Jahstix, which also rehearsed regularly at their late father’s Hotel Bobby.
As an upcoming bassist, I used to keep my eye on their own bassist whilst they rehearsed. He never sang – he just played. Vocals were usually split between Black Rice (drummer) and Yemi Benson (rhythm guitarist). Even off the stage, he was quiet and reserved.
And good-looking.
Aged 22 or thereabouts, he was tall and very fair with flawless skin, dreadlocks short and neat. Everyone called him Majek.
I used to wonder what-in-the-world kind of name was Majek!
But whenever he played, I’d watch in admiration, study his technique on the bass and hoped I’d one day be able to play like him.
One day, I asked him why they called him Majek. He said it was his real name, short for Majekodunmi. Bini mom, Yoruba dad. A nice guy, but of very few words.
I went off to the University a couple of years later and.. BOOM! Guy “don blow” – his career ignited by Tabansi Records. (Wikipedia left that bit out) And the biggest shock of all..?? He could sing!
That quiet bassist from Jastix That never sang, could actually sing!!! They were even comparing him with Bob Marley. That reserved guy who would just be playing his bass guitar, and quietly leave the stage, was now not only playing rock guitar solos from the back of his head, he was doing same whilst pulling on the strings with his teeth!
And during every outdoor concert whenever he sang his hit song, Send Down The Rain, the heavens obliged him.
Everytime.
It was always the final number in his repertoire, so once he’d begun, it would be a definite wrap for the event, as the torrential rains would disperse the crowd, and have the organizers scurrying to pack up the equipment before any damage could be done.
I had heard and read about this occurrence loads of times, but never believed it … until I got drenched at a concert at Tafawa Balewa Squaire in Lagos.
He had barely sung the first three lines when the heavens opened up. It was simply magical.
A very gifted singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, this is how I choose to always remember the artiste, MAJEK FASHEK (1963-2020). May he rest in peace.
*Mrs Tunde-Obe, a performing artiste and entrepreneur, is a member of the T.W.O duo.