In a couple of weeks, the iconic music maestro and cleric, Evangelist (Dr) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, will clock 75. Obey is the custodian of a prosperous music career with over 100 spectacular albums to his credit in a career spanning over 60 years.

Sunday Sun’s encounter with the Egba-born, all-time juju king was an opportunity for him to reflect on his career, family, relationship with the late Fatai Rolling Dollar and King Sunny Ade. Excerpts:

In a few weeks, you will be 75 but you don’t even look it considering your stagecraft. What has been your driving force?

Hmmm my strength, despite my age? Psalm 127 says, “The Lord is my strength…? The Lord has been my strength from the beginning of my life and He’ll be my strength until it pleases Him to bring an end to the journey of my life. He will continue to be my strength.

Could you tell us about your typical day?

My day starts with my morning devotion. It’s so important and I cannot do without it. I give thanks to God for a new day and the previous day. I then eat the word of God as breakfast as the Holy Spirit always interprets the scripture beyond my understanding.

Do you have time for exercise?

Yes, I do that too.

At 75, what has life taught you?

Number one is that God has been so good to me that I don’t have any excuse not to appreciate him. I know the phases of life God has taken me through. When I look around, I see that God Himself has ordered my life. At every point of my life, God put some people to assist me.

How would you describe Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, for those who don’t have a close relationship with you?

Ebenezer Obey is a perfect gentleman who knows that for anyone to become something in life, it is by the grace of God. He has passed through stages of life and it means he is an experienced person. I know how youths think; I know how adults and teenagers think. Nothing is new to me. Life is according to age. All that has made me a man who has seen it all. I started as a struggling man and I was encouraged by my mother who was very industrious and passionate about making her children successful. I saw commitment and devotion in her and all that gave me boldness. She didn’t want me to be a musician, because she thought the success of her son lay in being a medical doctor or a lawyer.

You said she didn’t support you to going into music. So, why did you disobey her?

When I asked her why, she told me it was because of the way musicians live; smoking, drinking and womanizing. She didn’t want me to get involved in all that. She also wanted me to travel abroad and be very successful but I promised her that I would be a good example. That was a sort of guide.

Are you saying when you were a secular musician, you didn’t smoke weed, drink or womanize?

I didn’t drink or smoke but I womanized. Flesh is flesh. Women love celebrities and it’s difficult to run away from that.

What were the challenges you faced being born into a polygamous family?

I couldn’t control that. That was where I found myself. The circumstances that led to my mother marrying my father were a miracle. My mother was almost 20 years in her first husband’s house without a child. My mother was called into a meeting and they told her to go and try another man. That was what happened and it was not what my mother was expecting.

You started your music career at a tender age…

Yes, I actually started playing music in primary school. I became a member of the school band, then choir leader and member of the community band. I was the youngest but the most important to them as I played all percussions and performed the vocals.

When you started as a teenager, did you ever envisage that music was going to fetch you international recognition?

Yes, I knew. The reason is, because right from school, every time I entered the school premises, the mood changed. People kept shouting my name. My mates and those even older than me and the teachers admired me.

Who were your classmates that you can readily point to now?

Most of them have passed away. Only one or two of the people we started the band together are alive like Yemi, Ishola, Idowu Ojeme and a few others.

Could you tell us about your relationship with the late Fatai Rolling Dollar and how he influenced you?

Fatai Rolling Dollar was someone I played with. I played with him and some older people. J. O. Araba released a record. I scored all on that music. It took me hours and he said he would like to meet me. I later called him and asked him to introduce me to Fatai Rolling Dollar. I continued pestering him and that was how I met Fatai. He asked me how many fingers I use on the guitar and I said one or two but he told me he was using all fingers. I never heard that before. I resolved to follow him to his house and on our way, he was playing the guitar. Before we got to his house, I composed about five songs and that really surprised him. He didn’t want to allow me go again. He insisted on coming to my house and that was how we became close friends.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, many people would only point to about two prominent musicians and that’s you and King Sunny Ade ….

Ayo, there was nothing in that. I have said it repeatedly.

But many believe you two were rivals. Don’t you believe that?

No! We were not rivals. People only thought we were. My name is Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi and I can be identified by what I stood for. I am a very good composer with good songs and meaningful lyrics. That is my talent. When people listen to my songs, people can’t just get enough. That’s why people still talk about my old records. I have more evergreen songs than anybody else and that has been proven.

So, you never saw King Sunny Ade as your rival?

No, I only see him as a brother and a colleague who God has given a unique talent like me. Obey is Obey and Sunny is Sunny. No controversy!

Does it not bother you that most of our musicians today lack reasonable lyrics unlike you and some of your contemporaries?

Yorubas have a proverb, aja oni lo mo ese ehoro ile to, meaning “the dog of today knows how to trail the domestic hare.” Musicians of today don’t have time to go deep. We can’t blame them because that is what their generation wants to listen to. Today, some of them are beginning to do things right. I heard one who sang ‘ariwo koni music o, empty barrel lo maa n pariwo’. That’s melodious and danceable. I think the singer made a difference with that song.

Do you still write songs and take out as much time to rehearse at your age?

Yes; I still do all that; I can’t get tired. If I don’t write songs, I would be sick. If I don’t do music, I will die before my time. 

When you clocked 74, you granted an interview in which you said you didn’t know you could clock 74. Does that mean you are already expecting death as a septuagenarian?

God has done a lot in my life. I want to make my life a book so that people can read. I became diabetic at 32. Subtract 32 from 75, it means I have been diabetic for 43 years. Diabetes has affected my eyes. Some even think I am blind but I am not. I can see you very clearly. But God took control and that is why I can sing and do everything. Frankly speaking, I never even knew I could live up to 70. Paul said “I am what I am today by the grace of God.”

Don’t you think that if you hadn’t left secular music for gospel music, you could have been richer today, knowing full well that secular music is lucrative?

Anybody saying that doesn’t know the value of God. Falling is not a problem. Anybody can fall. 

But would you rather accept that you could have been richer as a secular musician?

No, no, Ayo, I disagree. Listen, that’s where people miss it. Who knows where money is? Only God knows. The one who commanded that money should be available in the belly of a fish. I lean on God always and depend on Him always for my provisions. The cars I have today are all gifts. Just a single man has been buying my cars for me. He knows when my cars are due for replacement and he has taken that as his responsibility. I have a car that I have only driven for five times and I got it over a year now. Just from one man, not two.

One of your instrumentalists granted an interview saying that his most embarrassing moment was the day he was embarrassed by you, right on stage. You got angry at the fact that he was not doing the right thing and you walked up to him, snatched the guitar from him and threw it on the floor. Are you hot-tempered?

Who was that?

I don’t need to mention his name sir…

Just tell me, for a reason.

Well, it’s Paul Tao…

Oh, Paul Tao is a very fantastic guitarist, but I am a no-nonsense man. When you are on stage with me, just do what I expect you to do, otherwise leave my stage!

Oh, you mean you can recall that day?

Oh yes, I did that. I don’t forget things easily. I didn’t mean anything bad. I only wanted to teach some lessons.

Yes, he confirmed that too….. 

…And immediately I do it, that’s gone. I wanted to prove that I was alone playing before I employed the rest of them. When I disciplined them, it didn’t matter if it was in public.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered as someone that came to the world, played music with so much passion and did everything according to God’s plans.

Are some of your children and grandchildren toeing your career path now?

Yes, Tolu Obey has his own band. My grandson, Ladi Obey, too, is doing well now, although still doing his HND programme at the moment. Lanre too plays and he is gifted.

Why didn’t you venture into politics? You know you are almost the incumbent president’s age mate.

No, I can never be a politician. 

Why? 

One must know his calling. I am a musician but a good supporter and admirer of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who did so much for his people. I always support the government of the day, both at state and federal levels.