The return of the “Rainmaker” Majek Fashek

The Lagos Jazz series Jazz Festival had been well publicised in the Nigerian press, in the lead-up to its take-off on Friday 28 November 2014, with stars Ola Onabule, M.I, Jesse Jagz, Seun Kuti and the returnees Wrinkars Experience, hyped up to the rafters. However revellers at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos were to be presented with a surprise early Christmas present, the return of one of Nigeria's most loved Music legends, the Reggae superstar Majek Fashek.

Majek's recent challenges have been well-publicised, with his deteriorating physical and mental health condition in recent times, posing concerns for his teeming army of fans. This may indeed have been the motivation for the caution exercised by the organisers of the event in promoting his performance before-hand. However when he was announced at about 10pm on the day, the crowd were presented with a fired up musical warrior, who seemed to give lie to a lot of the doubts expressed about his readiness to perform.

Fashek, though still showing a few physical and vocal signs of his recent difficulties, left the audience in no doubt as to his readiness to take the stage by storm and seemed almost transformed once he launched into his musical catalogue. He kicked off with his hit "Genesis", drawing the crowd to the stage front, and kept them transfixed and singing along to his massive song-list, spanning 27 years of an incredible career.

Majek delivered a belter of a performance when he performed his cover of Bob Marley's hit "Redemption song", and his own hit "Mother". He interspersed his performance with reminiscences in conversation with an adoring audience. There was of course one moment when the organisers may have had cause to worry, when he peeled off his jacket and shorts, standing bare-chested. However it was a false alarm, he was simply hot..in all senses of the word! The performance reached its crescendo with a sublime performance of his greatest ever hit "Send down the rain" which moved many in the audience close to tears with the feeling he infused into it, as well possibly, private recollections of the legend in his hey-day, 25 years ago.

Altogether this was a triumphant performance from one of Africa's finest Reggae artistes, and kudos are due to his management team and indeed Carl Raccah of Mission Control Nigeria, for the faith in the man, which he justified hunred-fold. Music in Africa says welcome back Rainmaker, we have missed you and believe there is more where that came from.