Evang. (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi was born precisely on the 3rd of April, 1942 at Massey Street Hospital, Lagos, into the family of late Chief Nathaniel Olasewo Fabiyi, an accomplished Carpenter at Idogo town who hailed from Keesi quarters of Abeokuta, and late Mrs. Abigail Oyindamola Fabiyi, a cloth merchant at Idogo, who hailed from Lupooye family of Owu also in Abeokuta. He was named Ebenezer Remilekun Olasupo Aremu Fabiyi – names are thoughtfully and inferentially given.
He started his formal education at Methodist Primary School, Idogo, and later moved to Odoye Elementary School, Mushin, Lagos to complete his primary education. Thereafter, he was enrolled at the Methodist Secondary Modern School, Asero, Abeokuta, to further his education. After the completion of his schooling at Abeokuta in 1958, he moved to Lagos in search of livelihood. His legendary musical feat started at Idogo.
As a young boy, he would compose short songs while on errands or while engaged in domestic activities. He was very much involved with the local social and musical groups at Idogo which included the Boys and Girls Club, Ifelodun Mambo Orchestra, and of course the Royal Mambo Orchestra which he pioneered. At school in Idogo, Mushin, and Abeokuta, he was a musical young star. Again, the name ‘Obey’ – a name blessed by God; a name that has become a global reference; a name that has become a mascot and an icon of legendary proportion – was also given to him at Idogo by his schoolmates. ‘Everything started at Idogo’. Obey himself said.
On getting to Lagos, he started a new life with odd jobs as a vendor, laborer, and so on. He worked as a clerical assistant as well. On the ticket of fate, he came across two gentlemen musicians by the names of Bamgbose and Akinbomi Savage who hired him for their band. Through them, he came across Faitai Rolling Dollars. Obey and Fatai became very close. When Fatai decided to start his own band, it was natural for Obey to be part of it. So they started Niger Rhythm Brothers, a five-member band in which Obey was the second in command (captain) and the composer. After five years of working with Fatai, Obey formed his own group, the International Brothers and this became a milestone in his journey to stardom.
It is commonplace with young stars all over the world to be largely involved with women, wine, and weed. Obey was a different young star. He has learned to put enough measure of moderation in everything he does right from the onset. He never broke the composure but rather he was thinking of settling down early enough. He singled out a cool-headed personality like himself whose parents raised objections on the grounds that their daughter would not marry a ‘musician’. Obey had to let go of her but as the Lord would have it, he met another well–behaved and a decent young lady by the name of Juliana Olaide right in his ‘face me I face you’ house at Amu street, Mushin. The relationship grew deeper and they tied it up in holy matrimony in 1963. The union is blessed with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild today.
As a determined young man, Obey approached Decca West Africa Ltd., a Record Company to solicit for a recording contract and this was initially not yielding any favorable response. But with an unprecedented favor from the then MD of Decca, Mr. C.K Cress, Obey was able to secure a recording contract which came out with single hits such as “Ewa wo ohun oju mi ri”, “Oloomi”, “Palongo” and so on. These brought him to the limelight and his records traveled all over the country and beyond. Everyone knew that a new musician was in town.
Obey became very successful, he sold more records than anyone before him and perhaps made more money than all. While he was waxing bigger in fame and stardom, he started sensing a divine call of God in the innermost recess of his heart. To ‘appease’ the burden of this call, he got involved in various evangelistic works, he built churches, he sponsored missionary works, and much more, but with specific messages delivered to him from God by great men and women of God, coupled with his personal experiences, it became obvious that the Lord wanted him personally in his vineyard. In obedience to the call, he willfully yielded himself and was ordained into the work of ministry in 1992 by late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, during his 50th birthday celebration. We can say that God has blessed Obey in every way and he has lived a fulfilled and great life. Everything he touches turns to gold. He is a man favored by God and men. However, he never had it all smooth. He had rough edges, tough moments, and dark moments. Is it the loss of one of his lieutenants, Oke Aminu, in his prime, or the remarkable fire incidence in London and the one in Nigeria, or is it the bitter pills of false rumors, misrepresentation, betrayals, and envy that Obey had to swallow again and again, or is it business downturn that greeted his investments, or is it the devastating demise of his wife of almost half a century? In all Obey recorded success as a musician, so also he became a successful Evangelist and Pastor to the glory of God. Ebenezer Obey Evangelistic Ministries became a big ministry with the church arm of the ministry, Decross Gospel Mission, growing in leaps and bounds with many branches all over, apart from great outreaches, crusades, and praise meetings being conducted in and out of the country.
Obey has received so many awards which include Most Distinguished Citizen (Ogun State Government), Africa’s Best Performer (Canada), Evergreen Award (Nigeria Music Award), Member of the Federal Republic (Federal Government of Nigeria), Justice of Peace (Ogun State Government) and so on. As an accomplished businessman and entrepreneur, he has established a number of companies and he has been in the leadership and onboard of many organized professional and regulatory bodies, including the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) Ltd / GTE.
As a fulfilled septuagenarian, Obey is spending the rest of his life in the service of God and humanity. He is still very much involved in Evangelistic works and In conclusion, we celebrate a living legend who has just turned 72 this April and we thank God for a true African, a human dynamo, a man that has left an imprint and Impression on the sand of time, a statesman, a respected clergyman, a foremost musician, a family man, a classical model, a beloved of the Lord, Evangelist (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi (MFR), JP.