2 members fight over Rolling Dollar’s band

Two band members of the late highlife maestro, Fatai Olagunju, a.k.a, Fatai Rolling Dollar, are at loggerheads over who heads the group.

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.

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The ceremony, which took place at the Ojez'Night Club, Surulere continued smoothly until Nollywood director and movie producer, Charles Inojie, who acted as the master of ceremonies at the big event, called on the members of Fatai Rolling Dollar band to entertain the guests with a number 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 simply on the list of audience, stood up and accused the guitarist of poor rendition of Rolling Dollar's songs.

Bakare subsequently snatched the microphone from Oyewole. “This man can be an enemy of Fatai Rolling Dollar; you see how he is attempting to spoil the man's songs? Both of them had a quarrel in America whenever we went there for an efficiency and Fatai didn't speak to him before he died,” he alleged.

Armed with two microphones, Bakare went ahead and rendered a number of the late highlife musician's hit songs including ‘Won Kere Si Number Wa.' 

Buoyed by the cheering crowd, Bakare refused to avoid, ignoring the MC who'd signalled to him to stop.

It took the intervention of another theatre veteran, Dejumo Lewis, to have him off the stage.

When asked about his reaction, Oyewole said he bore no ill feelings towards his fellow band member.

“I don't attach any seriousness to his statement; you realize when somebody is underneath the influence of alcohol, they can say anything. I know he would not say all those ideas with an obvious mind,” he said.

Oyewole, who said he joined the Rolling Dollar band in the 60s, added he had no disagreement with the late musician.

He said “We choose to go to the United States to execute in a number of the jazz festivals in New York and other places. When I came back to the united states in January, we'd an efficiency at the Stadium Hotel and Fatai Rolling Dollar was delighted to see me for initially on stage after the USA tour.

“The occasion was just like a reunion for both of us. He travelled to America again two days after our meeting, unfortunately, it was on that trip he fell sick and was brought back.

“When I learnt he was in a medical facility, I called his phone and his wife picked it and handed it to him. When he heard my voice he said he was happy when he saw me the final time. I called him by his nickname, baba yato and inquired after his health, he informed me he fell ill in America. Strangely, his voice was very sharp, and he spoke with lots of energy, I never suspected he would die these 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.