FasasiPopular Nigerian music legend, reggae icon, singer, songwriter and Instrumentalist Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek is dead.
He died on the 1st of June in an hospital in New York. The cause of his death is yet to be confirmed.
He is best remembered for the 1988 album Prisoner of Conscience, which included the multiple award-winning single “Send Down the Rain”.
Also known as The Rainmaker, he has worked with various artists worldwide, including Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Jackson.
Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek (pronounced as Ma-je-ko-dun-mi Ifa-kii-she-eke), is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known in his home country for the 1988 album Prisoner of Conscience, which included the multiple award-winning single “Send Down the Rain”. Also known as The Rainmaker, he has worked with various artists worldwide,
Fashek was born in Benin City to an Edo mother and a Ijesha father, but identifies with his Benin roots. Various translations of his name Fasheke (Ifa-kii-she-eke) include “high priest who does not lie”, “powers of miracles” and “(system or medium of) divination does not lie” After his parents separated Fashek remained in Benin City with his mother, and soon joined the choir in his local Aladura church and learned to play the trumpet and guitar whilst composing songs for the choir.
Fashek was married to Rita Fashek who inspired the song “Without You”; the couple had four children together, but have since divorced. In 2015, it was revealed that Fashek was bankrupt and battling drug addiction. After admitting that he needed help, he was admitted into a drug rehabilitation centre in Abuja, but has since recovered, and returned to music.
Besides his struggle with drug addiction, other health conditions required his hospitalization on several occasions. He was rumored dead in September 2019 but his manager quelled the rumors, confirming that Majek had indeed been critically ill, hospitalized at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, England, and in dire need of financial assistance. Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Femi Otedola has pledged to cover all the singer’s medical expenses
Fasasi
