obey-360x225In an exclusive interview, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey talks about his humble beginning and the journey to success. He also talked about his late wife and remarriage.
Here are excerpts of the interview below
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!”