Pa Fatai Olayiwola Olagunju popularly known as Fatai Rolling Dollar has passed on, he died this morning at Marritol hospital at surulere after a breif illness. He was 85 years of age. one of his wives Funmilayo Olagunju confirmed his death. Details comimg later.....Highlife music veteran, Fatai Rolling Dollar
is dead at 85. The octogenarian passed on
this morning at Ahmadiyya Hospital in
Abule Egba, Lagos, southwest Nigeria. He
was rushed to the hospital by his wife about
a week ago.
Kunle Tejuosho, whose label, Jazzhole
Records, brought out ‘Won Kere Si Number
Wa’ among other albums, confirmed his
death. He said the deceased came back from
America some weeks ago where he had gone
for shows for about three weeks.
Tejuosho in his tribute, said: “Baba was a
great Musician. He lived life of a music. He
was always happy to perform. May be he
took too much on.
“He was a good guy. He enjoyed his life. He
had a second chance which he used very
well.
“He would be missed because he brought the
past alive to the present. He re-lived the
music of the 50s. He was a great music
historian and a great music custodian.”
Yomi Opakunle, his former manager, also
confirmed the death. He however said the
deceased may be buried today.
Rolling Dollar was known for his verve and
dexterity on the guitar. His zest for life and
energy, even in old age, was also a marvel to
all who beheld him while performing.
After decades of struggling to make ends
meet and musical doldrums, Rolling Dollar
got a new lease of life after the 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.
The late musician was given a house in one
of the low cost housing estates in New Oko
Oba, Lagos.
Juju music legend, Ebenezer Obey was
among those trained by the late musician.
As a pioneer Juju music player, Rolling
Dollar clarified in an interview how juju
music derived its name.
“It was derived from the tambourine which
is one of the key instruments used to play it.
When they play it on the street they would
shout ‘Ju so ke’. They would then throw the
tambourine up and shake it. … shukushuku.
That was how juju got its name and not from
bad medicine and all that. Even though in
Saro land the word was taken to mean bad
medicine. But here in Lagos our juju meant
music. In juju then, we had the guitar,
agidigbo, samba, sekere and at times we used
the bottle to give us that clave sound. In fact,
white people invented the clave from our
bottle sound. That is where they got the idea
for it,” he said.
He was born on 22 July, 1926, in Ede, Osun
State. He is survived by wives and many
children.
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