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What Really Happened to Majek Fashek- Moji Danisa
Art is esoteric. Music is spiritual. In the heart of spirituality lies the soul of music. Deities crave sounds and gods demand music to unleash their powers.
There is no spiritual movement without some kind of musical accompaniment.
It is from the spiritual realm musicians draw inspiration. Some have said they experience some kind of esoteric presence while creating masterpieces.
The great Victor Uwaifo swears his soul was pierced by the ‘Mammy Water’ (Water Goddess) who he claimed he encountered while meditating at the Lagos Bar Beach. His hit ‘Guitar Boy’ was born from that spiritual experience which he described as eerie but as real as if he could touch the beautiful Goddess who rose from the sea and transmutted into the lyrics, down to the Guitar strings of the song.
Majek Fashek, easily Africa’s greatest musician, before the demons began to disturb his soul, was a prophet whose spiritualism came alive in his songs, hit after hit.
Indeed, Majek Fashek’s contact with spiritism came early and as he said in an interview, he was a prophet from the age of seven, ministering in his church.
A fan once described a solemn night when they were all at the stadium having quiet drinks at the Jazz Club. It was a very silent night he said: “We were all chatting at this point, as the music had been turned off. A strange sound pierced the air from somewhere not too far away. We could make out the strings of a Guitar but when the voice followed, we had chills all over.
It was as if the hair on the nape of my neck stood still. It was the most sonorous sound, as if it was coming from Heaven itself, it was like an Angel was in a sober mood and decided to release his rather solemn message in a song.
There was dead silence from us all as we listened, enraptured in such celestial sounds enveloping us all and swallowing the night. When he was done, we dared to move closer…behold it was Majek Fashek. This was when it dawned on us that he was no ordinary being. We knew that day that Nigeria’s superstar had arrived. Shortly after, he blessed the world with ‘Send Down the Rain’.”
The mega hit, evergreen ‘Send Down The Rain’ validated Majek’s position as a prophet of sorts, perhaps of God because everytime the song was played on radio, rain fell heavily.
Almost two decades after, when Majek had been driven by his demons into the wilderness, a lady recounts that at the time the earth was scorched by the sun in her resident home located in northern Nigeria. She remembers how Majek’s ‘Send Down the Rain’ was played on radio and how she happily told her husband to expect rain that day: “It was an experience I will never forget in my entire life. This was well over two decades after the release of the hit song, ‘Send Down the Rain’.
We were all sweating, the house was hot for weeks, there had been little or no electricity for days and the song suddenly came over the radio. We were always listening to radio because of power outage then. I looked at my husband and said, ‘expect rain today’, he mocked me that I was foolish but that evening, the clouds gathered and the winds bellowed in the first rainfall that year. It was a massive one; what do you call that? ”
Majek’s descent into the wilderness began when he left the shores of Nigeria for America, in search of a bigger playing field in the international market. Nobody was in doubt that Majek was an international product who would surely become a megastar world over.
His rendition of the popular ‘Hotel California’ was played on MTV making Majek one of the first African musicians to played on the international music channel. Listening to Majek’s rendition of ‘Hotel California’ today is still a pleasantly chilly experience.
Majek Fashek singing was indeed an elixir to the soul.
Speaking on his spirituality on HIPTV, Fashek acknowledged that God gave him the inspiration to make good songs which remained alive.
He said: “In every season there must be rain. So as long as there is God, the message of the prisoner of conscience, will never fade out. God always gives me the inspiration every year to write new songs.
“My music cannot fade out because I believe in Jesus Christ.”
How did his decline begin?
The general belief is that Majek Fashek ventured into drugs while in America and became an addict of hard drugs. All his life, Majek continued to deny this claim.
Even after he was taken into rehabilitation having turned a pauper, found by a journalist, Joseph Edgar, begging under the bridge, Majek embraced rehabilitation but later cut it short insisting that his problem was not drugs but the demons which plagued his being.
Before his America sojourn, Majek was like an adrenalin shot whose infectious energy, charm pierced the soul like laser beams. Then America took him, nurtured him but spat him out and returned him broken.
Yet Majek blamed the demons.
What are these demons?
Fashek is said to have read a book which only very strong men read and come out normal.
Some people claim that Fashek dabbled into deep spirituality and was reading the dreaded, ‘Seven Books of Moses.’
Majek himself admitted in an interview to reading a book which messed his life. He confided that he read a book which he was not supposed to read.
One of his singers and close friends, Imona, also alluded to this fact. He said in an interview: “Majek’s problem is spiritual. It was not caused by drug addiction. I have worked and lived with him. Apart from the fact that we worked together, he is my brother. So I am in the position to know where his problem came from. But we have decided to leave everything in God’s hands. We are praying for divine intervention in his case”
What is the Seven Books of Moses? According to Wikipedia, ” The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses is an 18th- or 19th-century magical text allegedly written by Moses, and passed down as hidden books of the Hebrew Bible.”
The Seven Books of Moses is described by some as a book of sorcery and enchantments used to conjure spirits, demons and Angels, saying it could be a very dangerous book for anyone who does not know how to use it.
Some say the book is the documentation of the exchange of recitation between Moses and Egyptian magicians before the dividing of the Red Sea. “It depicts semiphoras or seals which are said to be magical and is also said to contain powerful names of God.”, a historian notes.
Was this the book Fashek was referring to when he said he read a book he shouldn’t have?
Did the book unleash the demons which Majek was to fight for the better part of his last years on earth?
Majek who once referred to himself as a spirit, came down with an ailment last year and had been in the UK receiving treatment.
One of his close allies based in the UK revealed that the past year has been really tough and only last week they were positive Majek would pull through but that was not to be. The Rainmaker took his last breath, succumbing finally to God.
Majek was a deeply religious man, had no malice in his heart, sang for the emancipation of mankind but lived his life in domination of the demons he admitted he himself conjured.
Africa’s greatest has gone to rest.
May his soul rest in peace.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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News1 day agoNo Solar Permits Needed For Private Homes In Lagos, SSA Confirms
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News22 hours agoMass Burial For 30 ISWAP Insurgents Following Lethal NAF Strikes In Borno
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News2 days agoCourt Sentences Dismissed NECO Employee To 24 Years Over Fake Diploma
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News1 day agoLagos Sets Rules, Penalties For April 25 Sanitation Relaunch
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Breaking News2 days agoTinubu Appoints New Ministers, Sacks Edun, Dangiwa In Minor Shake-Up
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