Renowned musician, Chief Ebenezer Obey, speaks on the his early life, AKEEM LASISI writes
Juju maestro and evangelist, Ebenezer Obey, has said that, at 73, he still composes songs inside toilets.
Part of the revelations he made three
years ago during his 70th birthday celebration was that he found toilets
to be conducive for his muse.
In an interview with journalists in his
Ikeja, Lagos home on Friday, Obey said that although he could compose
anywhere, toilets still remain one of the most productive environments
for him.
He said, “The reason is that I always
have busy schedules. When I am in the house, there will be a lot of
things and people – especially visitors – to attend to. So, people will
naturally disturb me when I want to compose songs. But the toilet is the
only place where no one can disturb me. At times when I am there, I
stay longer because I compose songs there.”
Obey,
however, stressed that God is the source of his inspiration and that
was why many of his songs are evergreen. He advised budding artistes and
youths generally to be hardworking and believe that challenges and
adversity are a stepping stone to success. According to him, he was once
a labourer, clerk, vendor and an ice cream seller.
He explained, “Anyone who wants to
succeed in life should be prepared to go through certain challenges. In
my early days, I struggled a lot. I was a labourer. I was a vendor and
an ice cream seller. The bicycles that ice cream sellers rode in those
days were bigger than what obtain now. Yet, I was riding mine up and
down.
“That time, I always prayed to God and
asked: Why have you not answered me? We used to buy papers at Idi Oro,
in the Mushin area of Lagos. By 2am, we were already on queue. The
papers we were selling then were Daily Times, West African Pilot, Daily Express, Nigerian Tribune and Morning Express.
It was not easy walking up and down the streets selling papers. Vendors
use horns now. Then, we had to shout on top of our voices.”
Obey, who is one of Nigerian musicians
with the highest number of evergreen albums, said he had discovered his
musical talent at that time but his mother did not want him to be a
musician. It took his determination and a chance encounter with two old
musicians, who gave him an opportunity to perform at functions, to get
to the path of his musical destiny.
On how he copes without his wife who
died about four years ago, he said, “My wife is with the Lord. God
called her in 2011. I miss her. There is no way you won’t miss such a
wonderful woman. But I know it is God who called her. And one day, I too
will go and be with Him. Some people have asked if I am not going to
remarry. But I say I have not been led to do so. My children and
grandchildren have filled many gaps. All of them are around me. They are
taking good care of me.”
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