Following Majek Fashek’s tragic story put me in a reflective mood throughout this week. I downloaded Chrome’s Torch browser then used its media grabber to download Majekodunmi Fasheke’s (real names) songs on Youtube. I’ve got ten tracks now mostly from the Spirit of Love and Nigerian Rasta albums released on Interscope records (Tupac was signed here too). I was moved to tears. I mean, the album is still fresh! Could pass for a 2014 project.

He was friends with the Marley family. They gave him $100,000 (in the 90s o!) after he lost his Interscope deal due to internal disagreements. The Interscope deal, a 5 album and an estimated 10-year contract, is reportedly worth $20 million (N4 billion in 1993!). Today, he’s hung on ogogoro and is the butt of all jokes in Fadeyi, Yaba, looking as frail as the skeleton-looking demon of death itself and begging to survive. How have the mighty fallen!

It’s easy to make light of his fall pointing to the consequence of drug abuse but the truth is many men have fallen from grace without using drugs. My rant, my horror, is about the possibility of falling from greatness and how it will happen to some of us. Shall I tell you of Samson too? Who was literarily Superman on earth, a one-man army terrorising Philistines, full of strength yet gentle with the women. He was disarmed by a woman he loved, his secret was sold to his enemies, was captured, enslaved and his eyes plucked out! Do you know how many successful businessmen have lost their empires (whole life labour) due to forceful takeovers or because a relative sold company secret to a competitor? I know a near billionaire who can’t pay his staff anymore because the wife he entrusted with sensitive company documents manipulated and coveted them. He is broke – financially and in his spirit.

I have been pondering how to avoid such fate. I came up with three ways. You can suggest more.

1. Family Over Everything. Where is Majek Fashek’s wife and offspring(s)? They are in US living way better than he is. I’ve noticed a trend among men with tragic ending that they often don’t have their wife and kids around anymore. No support for them in the day of their weakness so they fall flat on the ground. They often had maltreated their wives or at the least worked so hard at the expense of building a cosy relationship with their wife and kids. Another wickedness I see under the sun is 60, 70 year old men hawking! My subconscious immediately asks: ‘where are your children?’ If you valued them and trained them they would be here for you now. Love and secure quality education for your children not only because you want a good future for them but also for your own security.

I know what you’re thinking; your 60-year old self would be so rich you wouldn’t need support from your kids. I laugh. Majek Fashek probably thought that too. And so did all the former NBA and NFL multimillionaires living on support now. By the way, who says you couldn’t be down with stroke with billions in your account but still need healing and comfort from the hospital visits those beautiful kids would give you?

2. Plan Ahead. The financial windfalls coming your way wouldn’t stay forever. Tame your spending urge, save, invest and run a pension account. Millennials don’t see the value in owning a pension account. We’re cultured to live fast and as a result are comfortable with risks and caution averse. It’s good to use this culture in earning a living, don’t use it in spending your life. Be cautious. Save at least 20 percent of earnings. I know someone who does 60 percent. Prepare for the raining day. They would come. Had Majek known he would not have used the Marley family’s $100,000 to buy a house, fast cars and nice things.

3. Pray! Romans 9:16 “Therefore, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God that shows mercy.” At times, you may make all the preparations you can and life would still happen. Life is not fair. It is a terrible place. What happens to the 50-year old woman whose husband and children were killed by Boko Haram (Not hearsay, I know this woman)? Man is born unto trouble as surely as spark rises (Job 5:7). It’s for this reason that Jesus through the Bible made an open call to all to seek Him for direction and protection. Pray so you don’t become the prey. “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” Romans 10:13.

Adegoke Oyeniyi is a business journalist, media entrepreneur and founder of enterprise54.com. Follow him @wellsbaba