PROMISE KEPT:MY FRIEND MAJEK FASHEK & I.

PROMISE KEPT:MY FRIEND MAJEK FASHEK & I.
– Richie Adewusi

PROLOGUE… 2

Before I continue with how my first meeting with Majek Fashek went, for the Interview for Just It! Magazine, I need to make some clarifications at this point.
I have received several feedbacks from friends and followers on social media, who have read PROLOGUE 1 of this story.
Some have asked why I am writing this story now. Some say I am hunting for a content to trend with.
Some have actually questioned what I know about Majek Fashek, to want to write about him.
Well, I’ll start by responding to those who believe I am hunting for a content to trend with, on social media.
When I wrote and published my first ever published book, it was in 1988, it was about Majek Fashek.
That book is titled Majek Fashek:TRAILBLAZER!
There was no social media, I knew enough about him in 1988, to have written a book about him.
A book that has remained the source for most of the details about who Majek Fashek was, even before he hit the limelight.
I was not interested in trending with anything then, neither am I now.
I wrote then to document a phenomenal, very talented and unique individual that I had observed, interacted with and followed closely for over one year then.
I am writing now, to complete my story about how truly phenomenally very talented and unique that individual got to be, after working with him for five years, and retaining a substantially close relationship with him, for about twenty five years.
Most importantly, I am writing to keep a promise I made him. I am writing to put on record, accounts about Majek Fashek’s life that probably no one else is in a position to state, except for the person quoting me.
I got jolted into writing this story now, and making it available on social media as I write it, for two reasons.
About a week ago, I saw a post on Black Rice’s Facebook page about the passing of Architect Aib Harris Igiehon – 1952 to 2024 – my heartfelt condolences to his family.
First, Black Rice was a member of Jastix, the Drummer actually, of the group that Majek Fashek formed before going solo, due to certain contractual and personal reasons.
Second, Aib Igiehon mentored that group, and Majek Fashek in particular.
As this story unfolds through the years, there would be plenty enough opportunities to also share my relationship with Aib Igiehon, as I related with Majek Fashek.
Aib’s passing became a wake up call of sort for me…
The last time Majek Fashek visited me was in 2012.
I had invited him to attend the 50th Birthday of the mother of my son – Dadewa, in September of that year.
Other cherished friends who were with me for that period included Ace Movie Producer Tade Ogidan, and Evergreen Singer Stella Monye…
Majek and his entourage stayed with me in my Resort, Changeville Ado-Ekiti, for about 5 days.
5 lovely and catching up days, after not having seen ourselves for about 5 or so years.
Majek told and confirmed a lot of stories to me, and made a request…
‘…dread, if I fly on to Zion before you, tell my story…if you fly on before me, I’ll sing about you…, you know everything, tell my story…’
I do not know everything. But I know more than enough, to tell his story, our story.
I made him that promise that I’ll tell his story again, flight to Zion or not.
So, when Majek passed on in 2022 in his base in New York, USA, I grieved and mourned, but wiped my tears, determined to keep my promise.
I granted an interview to the Nation Newspapers in Nigeria, from my base in Montreal, Quebec Canada, to clarify certain erroneous stories flying around then, including his real age.
After that, I sent the synopsis of MAJEK FASHEK: THE RAINMAKER AND I, to a self publishing company called Tellwell that had been wooing me to publish with them, so I signed a contract with them to publish the book within 6 months, they took the initial $1800 from my bank account within the first 3 months, but never provided the support we agreed on, for getting the book ready.
I was quite upset, and decided to cancel the contract.
They refused to refund my money, and I kind of just moved on without doing anything else about finishing the book.
Two events within three weeks between April and May 2024, made me to wake up about getting the book finished, but making it available on a weekly online installments, through my website Nostalgiamedia.net, for anyone who is interested to read and follow, to fulfill a promise a made to a very dear friend…
Those two events were, one happened to be that that same publishing company Tellwell, that scammed me, wrote me to say I could still get the book published with them, after over two years of their taking my money and not rendering any services, and the second event, was Aib’s passing.
I felt I am being reminded that time and chance…
So, I decided to make the installments of my story PROMISE KEPT:MY FRIEND MAJEK FASHEK & I, available on my Nostalgiamedia.net, there’ll be excerpts on my TikTok and other social media platforms…
Peace ✌️ ☮️ …
The picture posted here with PROLOGUE 1, was taken at my Resort in Ado-Ekiti, South West Nigeria in September of 2012, during Majek Fashek’s last visit to be with me…