Forlorn Too Long: Echoes of Majek Fashek’s Pains and Passion
In his compelling narrative, Richie Adewusi deftly explores the profound connection between art, pain, and human experience through the life and music of Majek Fashek.Okechukwu Uwaezuoke writes
“Majek Fashek cried out for help in almost all his songs, help for others, help for himself,” laments Richard Aderopo Chile Adewusi, aka Richie. “[But] most of us only heard the rhythm and danced.”
Adewusi’s words slice through the façade, exposing a profound paradox that resides at the heart of human experience. On one hand, there is the superficial appreciation of art, and on the other, the deep-seated yearning for connection and understanding that often goes unheeded. This disconnect raises fundamental questions about human nature, and Adewusi’s thought-provoking narrative, Promise Kept: My Friend Majek Fashek and I, deftly explores this paradox. By intertwining his own experiences with the narrative of Majek Fashek’s life, heweavestogether a complex mosaic of relationships, struggles, and triumphs that characterise the human experience.
Majek Fashek’s haunting melodies were a mournful echo that pierced the soul, beckoning listeners into the darkest recesses of his inner world. Yet, in a cruel irony, the rhythms that entranced his audience often drowned out the anguished cries of his own heart. Unbeknownst to the fans who swayed to the beat, lost in the music’s surface-level allure, a maelstrom of turmoil raged beneath the surface. Fashek’s story thus serves as a haunting reminder that even the most captivating art can mask a universe of pain and struggle, hidden from the audience’s fleeting perception.
It was sometime in 2012, on the eve of Majek Fashek’s departure from Changeville, Adewusi’s facility in Ekiti State, that the two friends, while snail-picking, shared a bittersweet moment that would be their last in-person encounter. As they strolled back to the snail enclosure, Fashek suddenly turned to the author and said, “…Dread, after everything, tell my story. You know everything, write about me Richie, if I fly on to Zion before you. But if you fly on before me, I will sing about you…”
Reflecting on the emotional nuances of their conversation, it is clear that Adewusi’s words to Fashek – that neither of them was “flying to anywhere soon,” given that they both still had much to accomplish – were intended to be comforting. However, Fashek’s deteriorating health and the unrelenting emotional challenges he faced may have already taken their toll, leading him to feel like he was losing his grip on this side of material existence. The weight of his struggles seemed to be bearing down on him, and despite Adewusi’s reassurances, Majek’s sense of mortality loomed large.
This meaningful exchange underscores the depth of their friendship and provides context for the author’s decision to concurrently focus on his own story, which explores the darker aspects of human nature. Through this introspective approach, the Atlantic International University Ph.D holder in intergenerational communication offers a unique perspective on the human condition. By sharing his own experiences, he strips away the facades that often hide a human spirit’s propensities, revealing the depravity that can exist regardless of one’s creed, ethnic background or political affiliations.
His riveting narrative in this two-volume account – generously interspersed with photographs – begins with his first meeting with Majek. This encounter took place in the second quarter of 1987 at his Just It! Magazine office, located at 51 Ijaiye Road, Ogba area of Ikeja, Lagos. Apparently, the office must have been buzzing with activity as he met Majek, who, according to him, was “a restive, stunningly good-looking young man” who exuded confidence and “was quite talkative for someone just meeting another stranger”. This initial impression of Majek’s charisma was clearly lasting, as his presence may have electrified his staff, led by Osagie Agbonwaneten, who had served with him in Sokoto during the National Youth Service Programme. Building on this energy, his staff encouraged him to do more than just interview Majek – they wanted him to perform at a concert for the magazine.
From this point, the story further unfolds, revealing the author’s enduring, albeit quirky relationship with the dreadlocks-sporting artiste. As their collaboration began to take shape, the first gig at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium marked a pivotal moment in their partnership. Alluding tangentially to the story of the singer’s Prisoner of Conscience Band, henarrates howhis role as Majek’s publicistbecame eventually defined. This role evolved organically, as the two friends navigated a slew of concerts – some successful, others botched or even catastrophic. Meanwhile, the author’s observations and experiences began to coalesce into a narrative that would eventually become the first book on Majek, The Trailblazer. Through his eventful journeyas the musical icon’s backstage supporter, he accumulated a wealth of experiences that, at times, seemed unrelated to Majek Fashek but ultimately enriched the narrative.
Beneath the surface of Fashek’s and the author’s seemingly disparate experiences, a profound connection emerges, one that transcends the boundaries of the author’s life and speaks to the universal human condition. This existential thread weaves together the pursuit of greatness, the fragility of human existence, and the insidious forces that seek to undermine and brutally crush all higher aspirations. Through the lens of his bitter experiences, he invites the reader to venture into the labyrinthine corridors of human nature, where those hiding behind the facade of religion and family often employ calculated attempts to distort reality, stifle creativity, and annihilate any upward-striving human spirit. It is here, in this precarious struggle between aspiration and oppression, that the author finds himself ensnared in a maelstrom of intrigue, where the stakes are perilously high, the consequences of exposure are life-threatening, and the very fabric of hypocrisy begins to unravel.
Adewusi’s narrative embodies the quintessential spirit of a Bildungsroman, for it is through the crucible of his experiences that he emerges transformed, imbued with profound new insights that bespeak a deeper understanding of the human condition. Similarly, Fashek’s journey, though marked by a belated awakening, serves as a haunting odyssey of self-discovery, even as it underscores the bittersweet nature of wisdom earned through hardship.
Then, there are his personal experiences, which clearly inform his perspective on Nigeria’s societal fabric, evident in the narrative’s deluge of indictments. This relentless critique cascades from the acknowledgement to the epilogue, revealing his deep commitment to exploring the nation’s challenges. Adewusi, an offspring of a Yoruba father and an Igbo mother, pens an expansive acknowledgement, prologue, and epilogue, driven by his commitment to understanding his nation’s complexities.
Meanwhile, despite some avoidable typos, this narrative – featuring two guest-written prefaces and a foreword that add depth to the narrative – is a must-read.
