When Majek Fashek sang “Send Down the Rain”, fans said the sky listened. The story spread that rain fell at his concerts, and Nigerians gave him a nickname: the Rainmaker.
Majekodunmi Fasheke was born in Benin City in the early 1960s. He grew up playing music in church and in local bands, and played in the reggae band Jastix before going solo.
Prisoner of Conscience
His album Prisoner of Conscience, released in 1988, included “Send Down the Rain”, a prayer for rain that spoke to a country facing drought and hardship. The song became a huge hit in Nigeria and across West Africa, and the album won major Nigerian music awards.
Fashek’s reggae mixed Bob Marley’s influence with Nigerian rhythms and themes. He sang about justice, poverty, corruption and faith. His raspy voice and guitar playing made him instantly recognisable.
Reggae was hugely popular in Nigeria in the late 1980s. Ras Kimono’s “Under Pressure”, released the year after Prisoner of Conscience, and the Mandators’ hits filled clubs and radio, and Fashek stood at the top of the scene.
International career
In the early 1990s, Fashek moved abroad to build an international career, recording in the United States and touring widely. He performed with major artists and appeared at festivals. For a time, he was seen as the most likely African reggae artist to reach a global mainstream audience.
Struggles
His career later suffered from personal struggles, including substance abuse, which he spoke about publicly, and financial difficulties. There were long periods when he was out of the spotlight. Fans and fellow musicians organised support for him at different times.
Death
Majek Fashek died in New York in June 2020, after an illness. His death brought tributes from across Nigeria, and radio stations played “Send Down the Rain” all day.
Legacy
Fashek is remembered as one of the greatest Nigerian reggae artists, alongside Ras Kimono, Evi-Edna Ogholi and the Mandators. His songs remain part of Nigeria’s musical memory, and “Send Down the Rain” is played whenever the rains are late.
Listening
Start with Prisoner of Conscience. “Send Down the Rain” and his cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” show his range.
Whether or not he could really bring rain, he brought a generation of Nigerians to reggae. They still hum his chorus when the sky darkens.
