‘Majek Fashek Inna New York’ musical video of the late Nigerian reggae icon has been published on YouTubeon 17 July.
Released by its producer, Diane Strong, the video is seen as a gift to fans and many young ones who have never seen it.
Strong said “People seem to remember Majek for his troubles, but I will always remember him for his kindness and joy. I hope this video will remind people of what a delightful and prophetic artist he was and of how lucky we were to have him with us on our journey.”
The music video was popular on Nigerian television when Majek Fashek was at the zenith of his career in the early 1990s before the internet revolution. He effectively brought the Big Apple to Nigerians in a sing-along fashion that music fans adored, the video was widely popular.
Fashek’s passing last month in New York brought the search for the video and others to the fore as many of his past videos could not be found on Youtube. Many seemed to have disappeared, as none of the Nigerian television stations that aired them almost 30 years ago could provide them, calling Nigeria’s maintenance culture and attitude towards documentation to question once again.
Strong takes fans through the grueling process of shooting the exteriors of the video all in one day in 1991. A handful of the characters including the old World Trade Center have passed away.
She said ”My heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in the making of this video. As the producer, I was under great duress for a number of reasons, and I will never forget Majek’s sensitivity during the shoot.”