Fatai Rolling Dolla: Late singer, others get documentary by British-Nigerian filmmaker

In a new documentary project which too six years to conclude, British-Nigerian filmmaker Remi Vaughan-Richards explores the captivating stories of several of Lagos’ long-forgotten musicians.

Think about Nigerian music foundations, and the name Fela Anikulakpo Kuti, comes to mind. But what you fail to remember that although created a lasting legacy, he was not alone in his time. There also was the deep Yoruba ‘master musicians’ who make up the Faaji Agba Collective’.

In a new documentary project which too six years to conclude, British-Nigerian filmmaker Remi Vaughan-Richards explores the captivating stories of several of Lagos’ long-forgotten musicians.

 

One of the most prominent musicians featured in the film is the celebrated Prince Olayiwola Fatai Olagunju, better known as the late Fatai Rolling Dollar. He is most popular for his Highlife track, ‘Kere si number wa’.

Fatai’s home was pretty close to the Kalakuta Republic, the compound of the young budding superstar Fela Kuti. The infamous 1977 attack on Fela’s compound and the subsequent fire that engulfed the area destroyed much of Fatai’s livelihood. What the fire failed to destroy was stolen by looters, severely hindering his livelihood, with Fatai sliding into obscurity.

The musicians had a revival in 2009, when Kunle Tejuosho, owner of Jazzhole Records, met Fatai Rolling Dollar and other largely forgotten musicians of Nigeria’s past, including Alaba Pedro, SF Olowookere and Ayinde Bakare came together to form a group. The group became the Faaji Agba Collective, and began recording under Jazzhole, even going on to play Brooklyn’s Prospect Park with Seun Kuti in 2011. Fatai Rolling Dollar died on June 12, 2013, in Lagos Nigeria. The documentary follows their lives and for some, their death.

 

The Faaji Agba documentary spotlights the long, rich, difficult, and beautiful history of the music scene of Lagos and Nigeria at large beginning in the 1940s to the present day through the resurgence of the chronicled musicians.

The film was screened this past summer at Lights Camera Africa in Lagos and earlier this month at the Pan African Film Festival in L.A. It’s currently being shopped around and being entered into film festivals. In the meantime, check out a promo video for the film below.