The unassuming and self effacing Juju Superstar turned Evangelist, Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi talks to Jane Kolade about his road to success, his rustic beginnings, the place of grace in his life, and lots more. Excerpts;
- How I met Fatai Rolling Dollar
- Why I Never smoke, drink, or womanize – Obey
So, how did it all begin?
It all began in my early years growing up in the town of Idogo. I grew up in church as my mother was a devout Christian; always taking me to church, and can say I was influenced to music in church. I was in the church choir, and the school band. And it has been an ongoing thing for me ever since.
Parents often did not want their children to go into entertainment, was your case any different.
Growing up, both in church and school we had drama and music groups, and I was a good actor. My mother was happy with that. At some point, Idogo; the town I grew up in had a Boys and Girls club, and it had a drama group. My talent was obvious such that I became a star.
At school, people would shout my name whenever I came into school in the morning. I was so popular at some point that my mother did not like it as she did not want me to become an entertainer. She wanted me to become a doctor or lawyer. She would show up during rehearsals, and tell me, “I don’t want you to do drama. I want you to be a successful person in life.
Face your studies, study to become a doctor or lawyer; that is success. But playing music or acting in dramas all over the place, no!” She would wake me up at midnight to talk to me, and I would promise to stop, but the next day, as soon as I heard my friends playing, my mind would go back there.
The game continued until I asked her why she was unwilling to let me follow my passion. She replied that musicians lived reckless lives; drinking, smoking cigarettes, and weed, she did not want her son living such a life. So I told her, “I will go into music, but I will not do those things you mentioned. I will be a good example.”
That was how she stopped following me around. I became a star and a well known artiste. Thank God I did not do all those things. Everything my mother told me helped me during my journey, I met smokers and all sorts of people on my journey, but I decided never to do all those things. My mother was so happy and proud of me because everything a lawyer and doctor could achieve, I achieved.
How was growing up like for you?
My mother was a disciplinarian. As such, we did not have the kind of freedom today’s children have. A glance from my mother had a meaning, and I knew it. As a matter of fact, if we found money on the road and told her when we got home, she would insist on going there with us, and ask us to return the money.
She believed that the owner would retrace his/her steps in search of the money, and find it. We got so used to it that we never picked up missing money. All that discipline helped me in my life. My mum was a very caring mother. As matter of fact, she came to this world to take care of her children, never allowing us to suffer.
How many are you?
Three, I have an elder sister, and younger brother.
At what point did you realise that you wanted to pursue music as a career?
Music was a hobby for me; I never thought that it would be my profession, especially with my mother’s warnings. But, we had a band in Idogo called the Ifelodun Mambo Orchestra during school holidays, but it wasn’t for money. Anytime we went out to perform, I would feature, and they wouldn’t want me to leave. But the day I assisted two men to get amplifiers for rent, at they gave me two pounds the end of the day, at a time when I was on three pounds a month. It was that singular event that opened my eyes, and changed my perception of music from a hobby to a profession. After that I met Fatai Rolling Dollar, our friendship led to the formation of a band. He was the bandleader, and I was next to him. The first day I met Rolling Dollar on the way from Mushin to Itire road. For every chord he struck I would make a composition, at some point he said, “Bobo yi, ti e po o!”Which means, “Guy you are too much!”
Which year did you realise you could live off music?
- I had a band in Idogo called the Royal Mambo Orchestra, apart from the Ifelodun Mambo Orchestra. I left Rolling Dollar in 1959.
If you were not into music, what would you have been doing?
I would probably have been a businessman.
You were already an established secular musician when you went into gospel music, how did that come about?
My Christian background played a dominant role in my life and music, and is obvious in my music. This may be why all my records are prayerful songs. Some people often tell me that all the while they have been buying my records; they had seen the traits of one who is close to God in my music. I love God. He gave me success in music; taking my music all over the world, becoming internationally known in the process. It was in all of that God called me into the ministry. Even though at the beginning I struggled with him, I did not want to surrender but finally could no longer resist. Almost a year later, on my fiftieth birthday, I made my call known, and went into ministry, using music as a medium to pass the message. People love music, and anytime they see me they still want to listen to me. I thank God that He who gave me success has used me in ministry. After seventeen years in ministry, the Lord led me to holding special appearances as an outreach, to Christians and non-Christians alike. I do that to tell people of the love of God, and it has worked fine. By the grace of God, we have Ebenezer Obey Evangelistic Ministry, and Decross Ministries, which is the church arm of the ministry. Ebenezer Obey Ministries organizes crusades, revivals and so on. And I thank God that he has given me success.
In your heyday, some homes were preserved because wives wanted to attend functions that you were to perform at, as such they would maintain the peace. That was the power of music and your brand, and the effect it had on the society. The kind of music played today makes one wonder if musicians today realise the power they possess, and why they are not using it?
I believe that they do know, because they are reaching out to their generation. They know that youths follow popular artistes, and that is how it has always been. But there is need to watch it, if only because their fans will follow whatever they do. It is now up to them to find a way to use music to communicate good tiding and teach good values, and also use it for nation building. For instance, in 1966 during the Civil War, I recorded a song for Soldiers at the warfront. It cooled the nerves of their parents. I also recorded Keep Right when the country moved from the left to right hand drive. The record was to educate people on how to avoid road accidents. I also did a song about the Operation Feed the Nation program, and also when the country changed currencies, from using Pounds to the Naira. I have always used my songs to educate the masses. And it always helped a great deal to reach them. This buttresses the fact that music has the power for great positive or negative change in society.
Looking back, what are the things in your background responsible for your success?
In everything in life, God is number one. And good parents who were always after whatever I was doing. Never leaving me to do what I liked. Telling me what I could, and could not do. The discipline helped me a lot. I was taught the way to follow, what to do and not do, things that could get me into trouble and so on. Knowing that, I chose my lifestyle.
If a young man just starting out in music were to come to you for counsel, what would you advise him to do, and not do?
God guided me in everything I did, and saw me through. There is no way a man can live his life without making mistakes, but I thank God that my successes outweigh my failures. Having said that, I must say that failure does not exist in my dictionary, as I believe that there is nothing a man cannot achieve if he desires it. Once you can conceive it, you can achieve it, as long as you set a goal, and commit it to God’s hands. You will see it happen.
The only thing I can say about music is that you are loves by everybody, so if you don’t watch it, when one is young; women would go to any length to get close to you, and show you love. If you are not careful, that is the area any musician must be careful not to fall to temptation. God has actually taken care of me and led me to live a good life. There is no way one can live without making mistakes, but all in all, being close to God helps.
Can you cast your mind back and tell us the qualities you saw in your late wife that attracted you to her?
Her gentleness, I was looking for someone I believed I could spend the rest of my life with, and I knew those qualities the person must have. I was looking out for those qualities, and found them in her. For instance, she believed in me and I in her. And I am the Head of State of the house. We talked together in harmony, sharing thoughts. She always wanted to know more. She knew my ways, and they became hers. She never gave me any trouble, and we understood each other.
With her passing, do you have any thoughts of remarrying?
This question comes up all the time. In the past, I said I would not remarry. But now I will say that I will remarry if the Holy Spirit leads me to. As for now, the children are taking good care of me.
