25th November 2023
PUNCH
Veteran juju musician, Chief Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, talks to OLUSOLA FABIYI about his family, the late Iyalode of Egbaland, Chief Alaba Lawson, and other sundry issues
In the next few months, you will be 82 years old.
Yes, by the grace of God.
How has life treated you?
When I look back from the first day that God brought me here on earth, and as I continue to climb the ladder of life, I begin to see that God has been good to me in the last 82 years. I have great experiences that one can always look back to like a book or a film. In everything that happened to me, I can see the goodness of God. God is a very good God and I can see that the love of God is the most important thing that has driven my life. I swim in the ocean of the love of God because God is good to me. He is a very kind and merciful God. There are stages in life in which a young person will behave like a young man just as Paul said, ‘When I was young, I behaved like a young man, but as I increased in age, I lost all the attitudes of the youthful age’.
There are certain things that God has done that man must express. The Bible says in John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life’. You cannot compare the love of God, so I thank God. During my early days when I knew that I had the gift of music and that I was going to be great in life, the confidence and assurance were there.
When Iyalode Alaba Lawson died, you spoke about Ore, the son she had for you, but many Nigerians are not aware. What is the connection?
Yes, that’s true. Many did not know about Oreoluwa Obey-Fabiyi. That’s why I’m telling you about my life. Oreoluwa is my son from Iyalode Alaba Lawson. He’s now 40 years old and he has a son, Olagoke Mololuwa Obey-Fabiyi. What I told people was that women cannot be separated from music and musicians. When I had Oreoluwa Obey-Fabiyi 40 years ago, my late wife knew everything because I didn’t hide anything from her. She accommodated and became the mother of all my children as she took care of all of them so we could both focus on the ministry. It’s very rare to find a woman like my late wife. As a responsible man myself, I always took care of everything concerning my children, including their education. The elders-in-council of my church knew
about my past because when you’re in Christ, you become a new creature. Behold, old things have passed away!
Is the preparation for the burial in line with her wish?
Of course, yes. It’s in line with her wishes and she wrote everything down. They are on how to keep her legacy projects and have a solemn and befitting burial arrangement devoid of alcohol and musical entertainment
