By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
No more pain was the most prominent line in Majek Fashek’s 1991 hit song, Holy Spirit.
The legendary reggae star had battled ill health for the most part of his adult life. He had also battled addiction to drugs. Those took a toll on his health, and created pain. But this pain, he would feel no more with his death on June 1.
It was Plato who said that the body is a prison. He viewed death as the pathway to freedom. Majek might not have been a disciple of Plato, but his song Holy Spirit struck a chord with the philosopher’s thought. “No more sorrow – no more weeping – no more crying – no more pain.”
The Holy Bible was inspirational to many of Majek’s songs. His upbringing probably made this choice for him because his mother regularly took him to the local Aladura Church in Benin where he joined the choir and learned to play the trumpet and guitar.
For instance, the song, Holy Spirit, drew heavily from the apocalyptic book of Revelation in which John the Beloved saw the vision of New Heaven and New Earth where humanity was to live a blissful life.
Majek sang: “I can see humanity living in harmony. I can see brothers and sisters sharing love together now. I can see New Heaven and New Earth oh Lord. There would be no more sorrow. No more weeping. No more crying. No more pain.”
Holy Spirit is probably one of the best songs of Majek, but some would argue it is Send Down the Rain, another song that expanded the Biblical account in Gal 6 vs 7 that whatever a man sows that shall he reap.
Majek sang: “You don’t expect to sow cassava and reap up cocoyam. You don’t expect to sow rice and reap up cassava. Whatever a man sows in this world, they must surely reap.”
Majek was a supremely talented man by any account. He wrote his own songs, composed the beats and rendered the lyrics. He sang so many songs and won so many awards. Also known as The Rainmaker, he worked with various artists worldwide including Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, and Beyoncé.
Majek had his failings like every living human on earth. He became addicted to drugs, and that affected his health. The fault was the fame. At a very young age, he had become a globally recognized artist. He struggled with the addiction, which left him in pain. For Majek, the pain is gone.