When Fatai Rolling Dollar Slept

By Segun Adebayo and Seyi Sokoya

Residents of Oko Oba, Lagos State on Thursday woke up to see the unusual presence of frontline entertainers in the music industry, who besieged the Millennium Estate, Abattoir, new Oko Oba, to pay their condolences to the family of the late oldest practising musician and highlife pioneer, Pa Fatai Olayiwola Olagunju, also known as Fatai Rolling Dollar, when his remains were received by his family members and friends amid tears.
The veteran highlife musician died on Wednesday morning of June 12 at Maritol  Medical Hospital, Surulere, Lagos State. The octogenarian was said to have been rushed to the hospital on June 10 by one of his wives,  Zainab and was said to have been responding to treatment.
The body of legendary highlife artiste, Fatai Rolling Dollar, was on Thursday, buried in Ikorodu, Lagos State. FRD as he was fondly called by his close associates, was buried at his uncompleted house on Number 4, Unity Street, Maya Village, Ikorodu. The burial was witnessed by dignitaries, family and colleagues in the entertainment industry, such as President, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Admiral Dele Abiodun, Evangelist Obey and Stella Monye.
R had reported last week Sunday that the Ede-born singer was not in coma against what section of the media had reported. Rolling Dollar, during a telephone conversation with R last week,  had promised to get back on his feet and continue with his abandoned show, but that was not to be. “I will soon return for the continuation of  the show, which had stopped as a result of my illness. I want my fans to remain calm”, Rolling Dollar had said when speaking with R last week.
His last performance in Nigeria was on March, 14 2013 at the Nigerian Idol Season 3, where he performed one of his all-time classic’s ‘Won Kere si Number Wa’. He was later joined on stage by a group of contestants. After his performance, Fatai Rolling Dollar said, “I love what the young artistes are doing. They have a good message for the young crowd out there, and I absolutely love it”.
Kunle Tejuosho, whose label, Jazzhole Records, released Rolling Dollars’ popular hit track, ‘Won Kere si Number Wa’ among other albums, said the deceased came back from America some weeks back where he had gone for shows for about three weeks, “Baba was a great musician. He lived a life of music. He was happy whenever it was time to perform. May be he put too much on himself. He would be missed because he brought the past alive to the present. He re-lived the music of the 50s,” he said.
The deceased was said to have struggled to make ends meet, but got a new lease of life after French Cultural Centre brought him back into public consciousness. He later got a higher lift through Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while as Lagos State governor.
Emotions ran high as frontline celebrities wept. His family members, especially his wives and little children were still in shock; sympathisers were seen standing in different groups discussing Rolling Dollars’ ‘sudden’ demise, which to them, came as a rude shock.
The mood in the neighborhood that morning was pensive, as some of the people who spoke with R, said the late legend lived a fulfilled life, though his family members and well wishers battled to save his life.
Chief Ebenezer Obey, while speaking with R said he was shocked at the news of Fatai Rolling Dollar’s death, describing him as a nice friend.
Obey noted that aside the fact that he had lost his boss, it was also sad that the entertainment industry had equally lost a legend, “I will miss him so much. Our relationship was more cordial before his death. We talked often, especially when he returned from abroad. But there is nothing we can do when we hear the clarion call. We spoke two days before his death and he told me he got my message, which I had earlier sent. When I saw his remains, I wept and said this is the end”.
Recounting what they discussed last, Obey said, “Baba Fatai Rolling Dollar prayed for me, but I never knew that I was receiving his last blessing. His death is painful”, he said.
In the same vein, folklore artiste, Segun Akinolu, popularly known as Beautiful Nubia, also described Fatai Rolling Dollar as a youthful character who was always full of joy and life.
“Each time we met, he would give me a tight hug and say very deep prayers. He was so full of appreciation for music. He loved playing music and being on stage; it’s always as if the show should never end.” Revealing the last time he spoke with him, Nubia said, “we discussed his participation at this year’s EniObanke Music Festival (EMUfest 2013),” he added.
The son of the Afro legend, Fela Anikilapo Kuti, Seun Kuti told R that the news of the death of the veteran was shocking, adding that, “It seems there is lot to say considering his age, but he was still so full of life. I will miss him.”
Jesse King, also known as Buga, who also received the news with a heavy heart, said “it was very sad to receive the news that Baba has gone. Fatai Rolling Dollar has left a great vacuum in the entertainment industry. I pray for the family he left behind that the Almighty will remain with them all. I hold Baba in a high esteem. I cannot quantify how I look up to him. He was a very wonderful instrumentalist”.
Bonsue Fuji crooner, Adewale Ayuba, who reacted to the demise of the octogenarian from his United States of American base, said: “I will miss Baba sorely. The news came as a rude shock to me. Unfortunately, I am not in Nigeria today, but I pray that God will give the family he left behind the fortitude to bear the great loss”, he said.
Reggae exponent,  Victor Essiet, popularly known as Mandator, also reacted to his death from United States, saying “Fatai Rolling Dollar was a good friend of mine. I have known him for a while, even before I left for America 20 years ago. He was jovial, playful, stylish and colourful. I would have loved to see him when I was in Nigeria two months ago, but I misplaced his phone number. He contributed immensely to the development of juju/highlife; he was a fighter and not a quitter.”
Kazeem Popoola, a seasoned journalist, who was preparing a documentary on the deceased said, “Apart from been the oldest performing musician in Africa, his agility, energy, singing prowess, dexterity on guitar and awesome stage crafts at 80 stood him out. I won’t say he died as a happy man because he felt abandoned and expected to be treated like a monument in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Rolling Dollar’s dream was to have a foundation created in his name that will take care of the young and underprivileged artistes but he never lived to achieve his dream”.
One of his promoters, Babatunde Obalana said, ‘‘I think he was one artiste that had a dogged spirit. Never giving up irrespective of any daunting situation. The bigger the challenge, the bigger his faith. He was a believer pure and simple. I spoke to him very briefly about 48 hours before his demise and I never knew that it was going to be our last conversation. I will certainly miss his simplicity and easy going nature. He will be greatly missed. Thank God for his works.”