Ebenezer Obey
Nigerian jùjú singer and songwriter (born 1942)
title: "Ebenezer Obey" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1942-births", "living-people", "yoruba-musicians", "musicians-from-ogun-state", "20th-century-nigerian-musicians", "yoruba-language-nigerian-singers", "20th-century-nigerian-male-musicians", "provogue-records-artists"] description: "Nigerian jùjú singer and songwriter (born 1942)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebenezer_Obey" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Nigerian jùjú singer and songwriter (born 1942) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Ebenezer Obey |
| image | Ebenezer Obey.jpg |
| birth_name | Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi |
| alias | Chief Commander |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Idogo, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now Idogo, Ogun State, Nigeria) |
| origin | Lagos, Nigeria |
| death_date | |
| genre | Jùjú music |
| years_active | 1950s–present |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = Ebenezer Obey | image = Ebenezer Obey.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi | alias = Chief Commander | birth_date = | birth_place = Idogo, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now Idogo, Ogun State, Nigeria) | origin = Lagos, Nigeria | death_date = | death_place = | genre = Jùjú music | occupation = | instrument = | years_active = 1950s–present | label = | associated_acts = | website = Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi (born 3 April 1942), known professionally as Ebenezer Obey, is a Nigerian jùjú musician.
Early life
Obey was born on 3 April 1942 to an Egba–Yoruba ethnic background family. Obey, whose real names are Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Fabiyi, was born in Idogo, Ogun State, Nigeria of Egba-Yoruba ethnic background. He is of the Owu subgroup of the Egba.
Career
Ebenezer Obey began his professional career in the mid-1950s after moving to Lagos. After tutelage under Fatai Rolling-Dollar's band, he formed a band called The International Brothers in 1964, playing highlife–jùjú fusion. The band later metamorphosed into Inter-Reformers in the early-1970s, with a long list of Juju album hits on the West African Decca musical label.
Obey began experimenting with Yoruba percussion style and expanding on the band by adding more drum kits, guitars and talking drums. Obey's musical strengths lie in weaving intricate Yoruba axioms into dance-floor compositions. As is characteristic of Nigerian Yoruba social-circle music, the Inter-Reformers band excel in praise-singing for rich Nigerian socialites and business tycoons. Obey, however, is also renowned for Christian spiritual themes in his music and has since the early-1990s retired into Nigerian gospel music ministry. It will be worthy of note to also say that Chief Commander just as he is fondly called by his fans, has played alongside popular gospel music veteran, Pastor Kunle Ajayi during his 30 years on stage concert in Lagos.
Personal life
Obey married Juliana Olaide Olufade in 1963. His wife, known as Lady Evangelist Juliana Obey-Fabiyi, died at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital on 23 August 2011, aged 67. They have several children and grand children.
Partial discography
- 1964 Ewa Wo Ohun Ojuri
- 1965 Aiye Gba Jeje b/w Ifelodun*Gari Ti Won b/w Orin Adura
- 1966 Awolowo Babawa Tide b/w Oluwa Niagbara Emi MiPalongo b/w Teti Ko Gboro KanOro Miko Lenso b/w Orin Ajinde*Late Justice Olumide Omololu b/w Iyawo Ti Mo Ko Fe
- 1967 Olomi Gbo Temi b/w Maria OdekuTo Keep Nigeria One b/w Awa Sope Odun TitunEdumare Lon Pese b/w Omo Olomo*Ope Fun Oluwa b/w Paulina
- 1968 Ore Mi E Si Pelepele b/w Ajo Ni Mo waIjebu L'ade b/w Lati OwolabiCol. Ben Adekunle b/w Ori BayemiLolade Wilkey b/w Adetunji AdeyiGbe Bemi Oluwa b/w Olowo Laiye Mo
- 1969 Ode To Nso Eledumare b/w Pegan PeganSanu-olu b/w K'Oluwa So Pade WaLondon Lawa Yi b/w Oro Seniwo*Isokan Nigeria / etc.Eni Mayo Ayo / etc1969/1970Emi Yio Gbe Oluwa Ga b/w Ise Teni
- 1970 Lawyer AdewuyiAla Taja Bala b/w Ohun Toluwa OseOgun Pari / etc.In LondonOn The Town
- 1971 Ija Pari (Part One) b/w Ija Pari (Part Two)Esa Ma Miliki b/w Awon AlhajiFace to Face b/w Late Rex Lawson*Oro Nipa Lace b/w Yaro Malaika
- 1972 Late Oba Gbadelo IIBoard MembersVol.4: Aiye Wa A ToroIn London Vol. 3Odun Keresimesi
- 1973 And His Miliki SoundThe Horse, The Man and His SonE Je Ka Gbo T'OluwaAdeventure of Mr. MusicMo Tun Gbe De
- 1974 Inter-Reformers A TundeEko IlaAround the World*Iwalka Ko Pe
- 1975 Mukulu Muke Maa JoOta Mi Dehin Lehin MiAlo Mi Alo*Edumare Dari Jiwon
- 1976 Late Great Murtara Murtala Ramat Muhammed*Operation Feed The Nation
- 1977 Eda To Mose OkunkunImmortal Sings for TravellersAdam and Eve
- 1978 Igba Owuro LawaOluwa Ni Olusa Aguntan MiNo Place Be Like My Country Nigeria
- 1979 In the Sixties Vol.1In the Sixties Vol.2Igba LaiyeSkyE Wa Kiye Soro Mi*Omo Mi Gbo Temi
- 1980 Leave Everything to GodCurrent AffairsSound of the Moment*Eyi Yato
- 1981 Joy of Salvation*What God Has Joined Together
- 1982 CelebrationAusterityPrecious Gift
- 1983 AmbitionSinging for the PeopleGreatest Hits Vol. 3Je Ka JoThank You (Ose)
- 1984 The Only Condition to Save NigeriaSolutionPeace1985SecurityMy Vision
- 1985 Juju Jubilee
- 1986 Gbeja Mi EledumareSatisfactionProvidence
- 1987 AimasikoImmortalityVictory*Patience
- 1988 Determination*Vanity
- 1989 Formula 0-1-0*Get Yer Jujus Out
- 1990 Count Your Blessing*On the Rock
- 1991 Womanhood
- 1993 Good News
- 1994 I Am a Winner*Walking Over (1994 ?)
- 1995 The Legend
- 1999 Millennial Blessings
- 2000 Promised Land
- 2002 Ase Oluwa
Notes
References
References
- Waterman, p. 120
- (2021-04-17). "The Making of Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, By Toyin Falola".
- Dayo Farore. (24 August 2011). "Ebenezer Obey's Wife, Juliana Dies At 67". Nigerian Entertainment Today.
- Ogbonna Amadi. (24 August 2011). "Ebenezer Obey loses wife". [[Vanguard (Nigeria).
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::