14/03/2025
Asake’s neglect of his family: the true picture-Kayode Badmus Fatai Odunsi, Asake’s dad who is known as Malo in Isale Eko (Lagos Island) is said to have been a local musician in his younger days. He belonged to a group of Ajiwere singers who performed mostly during Ramadan and other Islamic festivals. Malo is also said to be a gifted drummer and this talent he passed to Asake who also started drumming at a young age. His mum, Falilat Dosunmu was also an amateur dancer at the time.However, Malo’s career never really blossomed as an entertainer and people who are in the know claim, at some point while he struggled, his wife Falilat walked away from the marriage leaving behind a three-year-old Asake who was then just called Ahmed. Falilat Dosumu is said to have moved on with a more popular musician, Musbau Alani also known as OmoKekere or Alani Comma (a contemporary of the likes of K1 de Ultimate). In an interview with CNN, Asake had confirmed that he fell in love with entertainment as a result of his parent’s involvement. “I fell in love with theatre as a child; my father used to be a singer and my mother dances a lot, so it’s a family thing; although my parents didn’t do it professionally, they only did it for the fun of it.”People who know the family said after Falilat Dosumu left Malo, he struggled to take care of the young Ahmed and saw him through school. He also reportedly had support from Falilat’s family who also lived close as he put Ahmed up with them sometimes while he worked. Asides music performances, Malo also worked as a staff of Lagos Island Local Government although he is originally from Eti-Osa. According to Asake while explaining the reason for adopting his mother’s name, he revealed that his friends teased him with the name ‘Omo Asake’ (Asake’s son) whenever his mum visited him. “My friends started using it to play with me, and they said, ‘omo Asake, omo Asake, Asake came yesterday’ and you know students can be funny, so at the end of the day they removed the ‘omo’ and started calling me Asake.“So it’s so easy for me [to adopt the name] because when I’m introduced on stage, people expect a beautiful lady or a nice girl. I just like the feeling and the shock on their faces. Also, I love my mother and the fact that people call her my mother’s name through me.”At some point, Asake is however said to have reunited with his mother and went on to live with her.Multiple people have confirmed Fatai Odunsi wasn’t a deadbeat father neither has he ever been an irresponsible man but nobody has been able to confirm what made Asake turn against him to the extent of neglecting him.The neglect is said to have begun around 2022 which coincides with the period Asake was signed to Olamide’s YBNL. A source also revealed that at some point after being pressurised, Asake purchased a car for Malo but still didn’t want anything personal to do with the man which left many wondering where the problem emanated from. Many people close to Malo further accuse Asake’s mother as the mastermind of the unfortunate situation although there has been no confirmation to this.Ironically, before the story of Asake’s dad became viral, there has also been social media posts in the past urging Falilat to implore her son to help her family (Falilat’s family) as they were living in deplorable condition.A particular Taiye, who is Falilat’s younger sister was said to be living in abject poverty in Isale Eko. Hopefully if all these is true, someone will get Asake to erase whatever grudge he has in his mind and move in to help his family. ©️The Kayode Badmus
