*As Nigerians Celebrate Juju Maestro
Legendary Juju Musician, Ebenezer Obey has said impacting more lives is his lifelong ambition, which will continue even as he clocked 80 years.
Obey, who has been the subject of celebration by President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other prominent Nigerians, promised to intensify efforts in empowering more of the youths.
He said he would remain grateful to God, haven ordered his steps in the right direction in the last 80 years of his life , as he rededicates his life to Him for greater exploits.
Obey said: “I thank God for making me to clock 80 years, it is by God’s grace, He has really seen me through. I commit my future to him.
“What I have done in life that gives me joy is that I have handed over my life to God right from time, I rededicate the remaining part of my life, my future to God, He should see me through.
“For my career, I have no more rivers to cross, my dream and wish now is to impact more lives, to solidify all I have built in the past and contribute more to the growth of the entertainment industry.
“I want to impact the youths, the youths are the leaders of tomorrow and if we see what is happening to them recently, we will observe that they need help.
“So I want to continue touching on their lives through my musical empowerment programme which has been on for long.”
Obey noted that so many youths had benefitted from his empowerment programme through scholarships and subsidised fee for musical training at his music school located in Abeokuta, Ogun.
He said the music school was affiliated with some Nigerian universities and federal polytechnics.
He explained that it is a well equipped school with modern studios, as a 350-seater Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre was currently under construction to impact more youths.
Obey was born April 3, 1942 to an Egba-Yoruba ethnic background family, he is of the Owu subgroup of the Egba.
He began his musical career in the mid 1950s after moving to Lagos and after tutelage under Fatai Rolling-Dollar’s band, he formed a band called, “The International Brothers”, in 1964, playing highlife-juju 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.
Some of his songs are ,”Around the World”; “Asiko Mi Ti To”; “Awa Ewe Iwoyi”; “Ema Se Lo”; Edumare Adupe”; Ile Ti Ya” and more.
President Buhari, in celebrating, Obey recalled some of his living lines which promoted juju beyond borders.
The President said the musician used his art and skills to fly Nigeria’s flag round the world, bringing joy and merriment to people with his sonorous voice, and didactic songs, for over six decades.
He though he is from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Obey’s music has been a blessing not only to the entire Southwest but he has garnered tremendous recognition and adulation nationally and internationally.
He has used his music to champion Government programmes such as:
#Change of lane in 1972 (Keep Right)
# Change to the Naira (Naira/Kobo)
# Operation Feed the Nation, and many others.
The President notes that the musician/ preacher has sang on virtually every area of human endeavour and activity with countless gold discs and many platinum discs to his credit, leading to being honored with the prestigious award of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2001.
President Buhari lauded the conferment of honourary professor of music on Obey by the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State in 2014.
Successfully blending the secular and spiritual, the President urges the younger generation to borrow a leaf from the musician, who was formally ordained into the ministry on his 50th birthday on the 3rd of April, 1992. He is the General Overseer of Decross Gospel Mission, Lagos and the President of Ebenezer Obey Evangelistic Ministries.
President Buhari wishes the celebrant longer life, good health, and further service to God and humanity.