The band members–70-year-old Eji Oyewole and Biodun Bakare had a heated argument over the leadership of the band at a night of tribute organised by the Actors Guild of Nigeria to honour Olagunju on July 28.
The ceremony, which took place at the Ojez’ Night Club, Surulere went on smoothly until Nollywood director and movie producer, Charles Inojie, who acted as the master of ceremonies at the event, called on the members of Fatai Rolling Dollar band to entertain the guests with some of the late veteran musician’s popular songs.
As the lead guitarist, Oyewole mounted the stage and started singing, another member of the band, Bakare, who was among the audience, stood up and accused the guitarist of poor rendition of Rolling Dollar’s songs.
Bakare subsequently snatched the microphone from Oyewole. “This man is an enemy of Fatai Rolling Dollar; you see how he is trying to spoil the man’s songs? Both of them had a quarrel in America when we went there for a performance and Fatai did not speak to him before he died,” he alleged.
Armed with two microphones, Bakare went ahead and rendered some of the late highlife musician’s hit songs including ‘Won Kere Si Number Wa.’
Buoyed by the cheering crowd, Bakare refused to stop, ignoring the MC who had signalled to him to stop.
It took the intervention of another theatre veteran, Dejumo Lewis, to get him off the stage.
When asked about his reaction, Oyewole said he bore no ill feelings towards his fellow band member.
“I do not attach any seriousness to his statement; you know when somebody is under the influence of alcohol, he can say anything. I know that he would not say all those things with a clear mind,” he said.
Oyewole, who said he joined the Rolling Dollar band in the 60s, added that he had no disagreement with the late musician.
He said “We had gone to the United States to perform in some of the jazz festivals in New York and other places. When I came back to the country in January, we had a performance at the Stadium Hotel and Fatai Rolling Dollar was delighted to see me for the first time on stage after the USA tour.
“The occasion was like a reunion for both of us. He travelled to America again two days after our meeting, unfortunately, it was on that trip that he fell sick and was brought back.
“When I learnt he was in the hospital, I called his phone and his wife picked it and handed it over to him. When he heard my voice he told me that he was very happy when he saw me the last time. I called him by his nickname, baba yato and inquired after his health, he informed me that he fell ill in America. Strangely, his voice was very sharp, and he spoke with a lot of energy, I never suspected he would die the following day.”
Meanwhile, Rolling Dollar’s friends have pledged to raise funds for the completion of his building project, a rehabilitation centre and music training school he was constructing in Ikorodu before his death.
Fatai Rolling Dollar died on June, 11, 2013 at the Marritol Hospital, Surulere. He was 85 and was survived by two wives, children and grandchildren.
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