Evangelist Ebenezer Obey will be 80 in a few days’ time. And this Living Legend in Music is enjoying all the attention and love being showered on him daily from all over the world. He will become an Octogenarian on 3rd April 2022.
And a lot is being done by family, fans, friends and church members to celebrate this Music icon. There are so many events lined up in his honour. Everyone wants to celebrate him. This is because he has touched lives with his music over the last 60 years.
Last week, City People visited him at his Lagos home and we found him in a happy mood, receiving visitors who have come to see him about his forthcoming birthday.
Many of his fans want to be part of that celebration. Some of his fans have flown in from the US & UK already, all to touch base with him. They want to know what role they can play. That is how well-loved the man everyone calls Commander is.
How does he feel at 80, we asked him? “Hmmm, hmmm…I feel happy. I feel elated. I thank God. This is really a time for thanksgiving. I need to thank God in a very special way. The significance of my turning 80 cannot be overemphasised, for so many reasons. That I am even alive today, in good health is all thanks to God. God made it possible”.
What are his reflections on life at 80? “Every day, I review my life. I look back at the faithfulness of God to me, from the day I was born to this particular moment. I thank God for giving me the gift of music, right from when I was in school. I took music as a Hobby and I never knew it will be the medium that God will use to turn me into the celebrity that I am today that will be known all over the world”.
“That I am alive today, to celebrate my life at 80 can only be God’s doing. This is because in the last 80 years, I have passed through, different stages of life, troubles and storms of life. I have passed through deep waters, and he has brought me out of them all, coming out stronger”.
“In the last few years, I went through some health challenges. There was a time people thought I was blind. There was the rumour then that I was blind. All my life it has been one rumour or the other. I took my band abroad for the 1st time on an international tour of the UK in 1969.
That was 52 years ago when my musical instrument got burnt in London. They carried a lot of rumours then. Out of unnecessary Jealousy, & Envy, they said it was because I was carrying Hemp. I have never touched Hemp in my life. I have never smoked Hemp in my life. Yet, they said I dealt in Hemp”.
“Then followed the rumour of Lukudi, which made me sing the song Babu Lukudi. Then followed the rumour that I was blind. Then came the rumour that I was dead. I was declared dead 4 times in a year. Yet God prevailed. Here I am today. This is the same Obey that has been rumoured to be dead over and over again”.
Then last year I faced another challenge, a health challenge. I travelled to London for medical attention and I had an operation on my 2 legs. I had to go through surgery. During this period of about 6 months, from April to October, I stayed in London. I was in London for 3 months and for the rest 3 months I shut down to rest, to recuperate. After the surgery, complications set in. I went through a lot.
I myself, I almost lost Hope. I almost gave up. But God showed up at the last minute and gave me victory. I give all the glory and thanks to God Almighty. I also thank God for sending a man to me, the Asore Ma Se Ika to help me. He is a special man. He helped me. I remain grateful to him for all he did. He is one man who will not want me to mention his name. He singularly picked up all the bills. The amount is huge to mention. My bill was huge. But with the help of God, I don’t know what I would have done. Like they say God Almighty will not come down to come and help you at your hour of need. He will send you a helper. He will make things happen in miraculous ways. He will give you Grace, Favour and he will constantly intervene in your affairs”.
“I also appreciate all those who showed me Love & Concern, in diverse ways, from diverse places. May the good Lord bless all of you”. “Now, you can see why I need to thank God in a very special way. For all these, I have every reason to thank God who made it possible to clock 80.
When I turned 75, I was also so happy. I thanked God also. I did a special album to mark my 75th. I will be doing another one to mark my 80th. I cannot but thank God. I also cannot do without thanking the media, after thanking the general public. The media has contributed so much to my career, and to helping to build the Ebenezer Obey brand”.
How does he see the decadence in society today, with the banditry, insecurity, ritual killings? “It is sad to see all that is happening these days. I never thought we would degenerate to this level where all the young people want to be rich by all means, and their involvement in rituals. Every day you see those under 20 years old killing for rituals. I tried all through my career to advise against all these things.
That is why my songs teach moral lessons. I teach wisdom and all those things happening now, I sang about them in my music. I sang about the need for hardwork, for people to wait for their time, for people to avoid Jealousy, Hate. You remember my popular song, To ba fe lo wo laye, ko ma se so le meaning if you want to be rich, don’t be lazy. I sang a song about the late Chief Akin-Olugbade years back. I sang about how he worked hard for his money from when he was young.
“Iwa rere…ise rere”. (Ebenezer Obey stopped for a while to sing the song for City People) I sang Odomode e ma se ole. Ise ni osupa nse la ju le orun. I have sung so many songs that teach morals. That is why many of my songs are evergreen songs”.
“So my advice is for us to go back to the good old days when parents used to teach their children morals. When I was young my mother taught me many things about life. My mother will bring out clothes for me to wash.
“She had an Opon ifaso. My mum will wash all my clothes, with me beside her and she will teach me how to wash clothes like her. She will put water, put soap and ask me to start washing. After washing, she will surprise me to rinse the clothes and put them on the line. I remember my mum today as I speak to you. My mum cooks, sweet soup. My mother cooks well. It is usually sweet. One day she called me. She said my son, Olasupo Aremu. You know I have been grinding pepper by hand.” “You will also grind pepper today. She surprised me and made me grind pepper, the way all those old women grind pepper. By the time I finished, all my hand was paining me. It was peppery.” “I told her, Maami, gbogbo owo lo nta mi. She said its good, let’s apply EPO pupa on it. (Palm Oil). So she will put palm oil and ask me to continue grinding. She will keep telling me in Yoruba, Epo lero. She made sure I did it continuously.”
“She didn’t let me stop. Interestingly, by the time I did it once, twice, thrice, I didn’t feel the pepper again. I wish all mothers will be like my mother. Let’s go back to those good old days. Let’s go back to that. God will see us through. If we can be determined and focused, all will be well, all these bad things will be in the past. I sang a song not too long ago.” “I said Nigeria yi shi ma dun, o da mi loju. Lola Oluwa, o si ma dun. A dun. Ise a po, onje apo. We can still make it. We only need to love each other. If we love ourselves, all will be well. God will see us through. Amen.”
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