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“I was a proper MJ freak. At my 10th birthday party, I dressed in a Michael Jackson costume and performed Bad for my friends. I even did the moonwalk. Till today, I still remember the excitement on their faces. I can still do the moonwalk, and if you play Beat It or Thriller right now, I will stand up and run the full choreography without missing steps. My brothers were the same. We tried to form our own little band at some point, but that dream died. Still, the love for Michael Jackson stayed with us and shaped our growing years.“
By Babajide Awoyinfa
May 3, 2026. Another birthday has come for me. Last year, when I turned 40, I pleaded with my father to allow me write on his popular back-page column. He accepted. This year, as I clocked 41, I had to appeal to him again to feature my write-up. True to his loving nature, he accepted as usual, and I really appreciate him for that. So today, I am using this space to share how I spent this special birthday with him — and my mum too.
I decided to take both of them out to the cinema to watch the newly released Michael Jackson movie, where his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the lead role. For me, this was more than just a birthday treat. It was my own way of saying a big “thank you” to the man who planted so much joy and music in our hearts when we were growing up—me and my identical twin brothers Taiwo and Kehinde.
In our house, Michael Jackson was not just music. He was part of our childhood. From the time we were very young, Dad introduced us to the King of Pop. We had video cassettes that we played until the tapes nearly wore out. We had records on the turntable and later, shiny CDs. Every evening or weekend, the house would ring with Thriller, Bad, Beat It and Billie Jean. We did not just listen; we lived it.
I was a proper MJ freak. At my 10th birthday party, I dressed in a Michael Jackson costume and performed Bad for my friends. I even did the moonwalk. Till today, I still remember the excitement on their faces. I can still do the moonwalk, and if you play Beat It or Thriller right now, I will stand up and run the full choreography without missing steps. My brothers were the same. We tried to form our own little band at some point, but that dream died. Still, the love for Michael Jackson stayed with us and shaped our growing years.
That is why I felt it deep in my heart when I decided to take my dad to the cinema. This was my opportunity to give back. The same man who opened our eyes to the magic of Michael Jackson was still here, alive and strong, to watch the story of his idol and namesake being retold on the big screen. If Michael Jackson was (and is still) the King of Pop, my dad is the King of Tabloid journalism and headline guru from the good old days of Weekend Concord where he was the pioneer editor to The Sun where he was pioneer Managing Director and Editor-in-chief. Along with his late “twin brother” Pastor Dimgba Igwe, who would have been 70 this coming May 16, 2026—a day we would have celebrated in a very big way. But he died a shocking death on 6 September, 2014. May his soul rest in peace in heaven where he is probably continuing his journalism.
My mum joined us too, and it was her first time ever going to watch a foreign movie with me. I wasn’t expecting her to enjoy it much, but to my greatest amusement, she had a swell time! Mummy was completely glued to the cinema screen, smiling and nodding all through. She was so impressed with Jaafar Jackson that she even said, at some point, that he performed way better than Michael Jackson himself. Hearing her say that made me laugh with joy.
Mum came for a normal movie, but left as a Jaafar Jackson fan.
And what a movie it was! From the first song to the last dance, we were glued. Jaafar Jackson did not just act — he became Michael. The moves, the voice, the energy. At some point, I forgot it was the nephew. It felt like the real Michael Jackson was performing right there.
The movie brought back so many good old memories. As the songs played, we found ourselves rhyming and singing along. Dad was especially lively, miming some of the old classic tunes he used to play for us as children. Some scenes were so relatable to Michael Jackson’s real life that we kept predicting what would happen next, laughing when we got it right.
Sitting there between my parents, watching Jaafar Jackson bring that same legend back to life, it felt like life had come full circle. My heart was full. I felt deep gratitude that both of them are still alive and strong to share this moment with me. Gratitude for the beautiful memories my dad created for us as wanna-be Michael Jacksons. Gratitude for a mother who joined in the fun and enjoyed every bit.
We left the cinema fully satisfied, got more than our money’s worth. It was not just a movie; it brought back nostalgia, brought back sweet memories of our childhood days. The laughter, the dancing competitions in the sitting room, the way Dad would play the records again and again. Those were golden times. By the way, Dad also taught us how to play the guitar but it was Taiwo who took it seriously. Up till today, he can still play the lead guitar even better than dad. Thanks to YouTube.
Michael Jackson’s music taught us creativity, discipline, and how to dream big. It gave us confidence as young boys. It carried years of memory. Years of music. Years of fatherhood done quietly, but done right.
As I turn 41, this birthday outing had become one of the most precious moments of my life. It reminded me that the best gifts are not always things we buy, but memories we create together.
Now, as a father myself, I think about the future. I think about what I will pass down. What my children will remember. What will define their own growing years. I hope, in my own way, I can give them something that stays with them long after the moment has passed. Something that brings them back, years later, to sit beside me and say, without words, “I remember.”
Because sometimes, the greatest gifts are not loud. They are not announced. They are simply lived—and one day, returned.
I pray I can lead them the same way my father led us. May I plant the same seeds of joy, music, and love in their hearts so that one day, they too will take me out and say, “Daddy, thank you.”
This birthday, I didn’t just celebrate turning 41.
I celebrated my father. I celebrated the legend Michael Jackson who came back from the dead. And I celebrated a memory that will stay with me for a long, long time.
Happy 41st birthday to me, Babajide Awoyinfa.
