Evangelist Obey Fabiyi who turned 72 recently
shares some of his life experiences in this
interview with ADEOLA BALOGUN
It is often said that anything after 70 years is
bonus. How do you feel at 72?
Well, at 72, I want to first and foremost give thanks
to God Almighty who made it possible for me to be
alive. It’s the wondrous work of God and at 72, I
feel great. I am a very happy person because the
Lord has been so good to me, and I thank God for
who he is because he’s been my all in all and he
has seen me through different phases of life: from
the time I was born, to when I started talking,
schooling and working. I also thank him for
bringing out the gift in me and establishing me as a
star. I feel great and happy – and I can’t even
thank him enough.
Can you attribute that to a disciplined lifestyle?
Before we talk about discipline, let’s talk about the
grace of God and his sufficiency. The grace of God
is available to everyone; so it is by his grace. Yes,
with discipline added to it. But majorly, it’s by his
grace. I grew up in a disciplinarian family. When
my mother looked at me, I knew what she was
saying without her saying anything. We were
taught to respect elders. If someone was older by
a day, we were taught to call him or her brother or
sister. We were taught humility. And it’s been part
of me since then. We were taught how to behave
well. We were well-disciplined. We respected our
seniors and teachers in school and it became part
of my life. When I also grew up, I had a personal
encounter with Jesus and that brought out the best
in me in my music career. So it’s by the grace of
God. To be 72 and still be relevant, that cannot be
anybody but God.
Are you not still tempted to choose between
secular and gospel music?
What happens is that when you are being guided
by God, you can’t miss your way. You can never
miss your way because God will make everything
work out. I started making special appearances 15
years after I quit secular music. God gave me the
gift of music; he was the one that brought out the
star in me and made me become a minister. So, it
is God all the way. Intimacy is what we need to
have success in God. If you are divinely guided,
you will do well. I always have a direction. When I
have special appearances, God gives me direction
in a way that one doesn’t contradict the other.
But one thing about music talent is that it’s
irresistible.
I have drawn the line. Where I am now, nothing can
take me away from God. I have a focus. Nothing
can take me out of God’s presence.
Can you blame your fans who want more of what
you used to sing?
No. God is love. When you do things out of love,
you make people happy. I don’t hurt them. Even
now, people have known me for who I am and I
even attract respect for that. I also believe the
respect people give me is by the grace of God.
When you started the special appearances, people
thought maybe Obey was probably broke.
I’ve said it and I am still saying it. There are two
things we have to define here; what do we actually
need here on earth? We don’t need all the vanities
of this world, yet God created them so that we
could be comfortable. All my needs, God has
already provided. I don’t worry myself. I’m at
peace with my God. When I clocked 70, I said,
“Father, I give you all glory.” When I look back, all I
say is “Father, thank you.” There are no more
rivers for me to cross; I am not running after
anything. I have put my life in God’s hands. So,
who says I’m broke? It’s because they don’t know
the God I’m serving. The God I’m serving is a good
provider. I have come to realise God is faithful, so
there’s no running helter-skelter.
How do you feel being celebrated by Globacom
while you are still alive?
Oh, I feel great. I feel excited for Glo, and for the
man called Mike Adenuga, Jnr. He is a special
person that God brought into this world for many
reasons. I cherish what Glo did in celebrating me;
it is one thing I really appreciate. For someone to
sit down and think of others is a special thing. That
the Glo Evergreen Series started with me, I really
appreciate it.
Before he started Glo, was Mike Adenuga one of
your fans?
Of course, yes. He loves my music, but the love
that Mike Adenuga has for me is beyond music.
Yes, talking music, he loves my music but now I
can see it is beyond that. He is God-sent and we
can see, he’s a man who touches life, and because
of that, he is blessed every second.
When he extended that gesture to King Sunny Ade
recently, did you nominate him or what?
No, Mike Adenuga started the Glo Evergreen
Series with me and extended it to my brother KSA
whose work in the entertainment industry is
awesome. Even with the younger artistes, KSA is
awesome.
Recently at KSA’s birthday in Ondo, he dedicated a
very big church in his compound. People are
insinuating that probably what happened to you will
happen to him. Do you see KSA also becoming an
evangelist?
You know what Jesus told Peter? “Follow me and I
will make you fishers of men.” I am happy for what
is happening to KSA dedicating a church and you
cannot be surprised that God is preparing him for
His work.
People are still talking about ‘Oleku’, the joint show
between you and KSA, should we expect series
two?
People have been asking for more here and even
abroad. But we are yet to determine how to go
about it. But we will extend it at God’s appointed
time.
In retrospect now, what inspired you to sing those
evergreen songs that are still relevant even today?
That can only be God because it’s not every artiste
that has the gift. But I thank God for the gift. Now I
go to secondary schools on principals’ invitations
to give talks. The one I did last in Ibadan, I was
surprised to hear the questions the students were
asking me. They wanted to know how I became a
musician, my experiences, my songs, etc. I sang
for them. It was an exciting moment. They wanted
to know how a young man composed those songs
30, 40 years ago. So, I just thank God for that gift.
And for the new generation artistes, they are doing
well and I’m happy for them.
One would expect that you will encourage your son
Tolu to pick up the mantle as you are aging
He wanted to do music and he’s doing it. I am
happy seeing him do it, now that he’s even cut a
niche for himself. Tolu plays juju music. There is
nothing bad in it. I encourage him to do what he
wants to do.
But you encouraged others to be pastors.
Those who are pastors are pastors because that’s
what God wants them to be. I’ve never forced any
of them to be this or that. I taught them the way of
the Lord and they know what they want, so there
is nothing like force anywhere. All I care about is
for them to serve the Lord.
People think you also influenced Oba Adedapo
Tejuoso, the Oshinle of Egba to become a born-
again Christian. Who influenced who?
Oba Adewale Adedapo Tejuoso became one of my
fans a very long time ago and even all his friends.
So the relationship started since that time. When I
quit music and got into the ministry, he too had his
own ministry, even as a king. We met after that and
our relationship got to a higher level. When he
wanted to start Kings’ Day of Praise where he
gathered fellow kings to worship God, he invited
me and I was willing to help. I am happy that the
yearly programme has become a very big event in
his kingdom and I am also proud to be associated
with it. Through that, the royal fathers come
together to worship God. They pray and God does
wonders.
What has been the impact of the programme on
Egbaland?
It’s not only traditional rulers from Egbaland, we
have the royal fathers from all parts of Nigeria and
other African countries.
Do you still miss your wife?
Oh, there’s no way I won’t miss her. But I know
she’ s gone to be with the Lord. My wife would
have been 69 years old on March 24 if she was
alive. We would have been expecting to celebrate
her 70th birthday next year. But the Lord is a good
Lord. On March 23, we had my first great
granddaughter. My granddaughter gave birth to my
first great granddaughter and I am clocking 72 in a
few days. So, we are in a thanksgiving mood.
How do you cope without a woman in the house?
There is nothing God cannot do. He is able to take
care and be in charge of everything. I am not
lonely. Immediately my wife went to be with the
Lord, my son and his wife moved here. So with my
grandchildren around me and people taking care of
me, I feel great.
What of getting married again?
At 72, I can’t start looking for a wife. I’m well taken
care of and occupied. I am not lonely and I doubt
whether any woman would be able to cope with my
busy lifestyle. My late wife got used to it and for
years, she was able to take care of our home.
Or you are afraid of what people will say?
Afraid? Can someone of my age be afraid of what
anybody will say? Let people say whatever they
want to say, I have my life to live. I’ve not given
marriage a thought and that’s the truth. I’m busy in
the church, with mentoring and special
appearances. By the Grace of God, I’m oganising a
crusade to celebrate my 72nd birthday.
People thought if Pastor Kumuyi could marry
another wife after he lost his wife as a church
leader, you too could follow in his footsteps.
It is a thing of choice. It’s the Holy Spirit that leads
every church leader. What Pastor Kumuyi did is a
very good thing. I don’t feel like doing that and I’m
happy. Apart from that, no woman can cope with
my schedule. Well, God can do anything; he can
provide someone to take her place, you can’t rule
that out because we are still alive and well.
Who took over your wife’s position in the church
then?
In the service of God, you don’t say because my
wife is gone, someone should replace her. She
went to be with the Lord. My son is the pastor in
charge of the church and his wife is there to
support him like my wife did. We also have other
pastors whose wives are supporting them. You
don’t necessarily say since my wife is gone, we
need to find someone to replace her unless I
decide to marry someone from the church. But for
now, this is the way that the Lord has made it.
Concerning waxing records, how often do you do
that?
I do that all the time. People know that I am good;
and I am a very good composer. The easiest thing
for me to do is to compose. So I still do special
releases for people.
Your evergreen series are supposed to be lifetime
sources of income for you, how do you cope with
piracy.
You see, piracy is the main problem that we have
here. But I do special releases for people and
those ones cannot be pirated because they are not
for public consumption, though people still demand
for some of them. So when they demand for such, I
get paid.
What about royalties from your old songs?
I’m in charge of my music. I handle my company,
so I cannot complain about anything. I oversee
everything. Artistes only complain about recording
companies. I have gone above that. I am a
recording company myself. I am Mr. Music.
Perhaps if you did not become a musician, do you
think Obey would be this famous?
I don’t want to bother myself about that. I’ve been
what God wanted me to be, and I am fine.
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