Have you been opportune to
witness the performance of Juju music maestro, Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi of
late? If not, then you need to read this piece and take your time to look at
these pictures. No doubt, Chief Ebenezer Obey is one of Nigeria`s musicians of
our time and he was about to make history when he told the world then that he
was quitting secular music for God`s vineyard.
At that time, we don’t need any
soothsayer to tell us that, the man has made enough money to actually retire
which was one of the reasons he contemplated quitting in the first place
anyway, aside the avalanche of properties which people in the know said were
everywhere in the major cities, Ebenezer Obey`s bank account was said to be so
impressively fat as well.
His decision to retire from
active musical performance was applauded by family, friends, teeming fans and
even foes as the talented music star withdrew from public glare to take over
activities at his church, Decross International, a church project he has
nurtured over years with headquarters at Mulero area of Agege, Lagos.
Before his eventual retirement,
one of Obey`s sons, Tolu has already taken his style of music, in fact the
youngman has started enjoying the limelight and goodwill bestowed by his
father`s popularity as a man of the high and caliber whilst another of his son,
Folarin is a renowned pianist and Pastor who runs the Decross church, at least
this availed him the opportunity to enjoy his retirement because he has been
able to position his children for the future.
But alas, just about 2 to 3 years
into his retirement, words began flying around that Ebenezer Obey is broke, the
man was said to be so broke that he almost didn’t have anything left; one of
his sons (namewitheld) was allegedly said to have encountered some fast
thinkers a.k.a 419ners who shaved him off his father`s belongings including
hard-earned life savings and properties, the situation was so pathetic and
critical that, good spirited Nigerians such as Otunba Mike Adenuga Jr. were
said to have come to his rescue before the man was able to get his groove back.
According to sources, the
Globacom Chairman, Otunba Mike Adenuga was the saving grace then who bailed him
out with N2m and a state of the art car, otherwise things would have gone out
of hand, this we gathered was the major reason the retired Ebenezer Obey
decided to come back to stage leaving pastoral job for secular life again.
There`s no doubting the fact
that, the legendary musician, Ebenezer Obey knows that he`s no more fit for
stage performance but for the need to pay some bills he wouldn’t have been
going through the harrowing experience of mounting the stage at this phase of
his life.
Concerned minds who have
witnessed the man performing of late have not just allayed their fears but have
offered blunt advice for his children to savage the situation, the man who`s
nudging his 70s officially is obviously tired of climbing the stage.
According to them, his physical
appearance at the final burial ceremony of the late father of Iyalode of
Gbaguraland, Chief Mrs. Adunni Bankole was nothing but a pitiable sight, the
man was practically tottering like a toddler after being helped to alight from
his car by retinue of aides who held his walking stick and carefully led him to
a corner at the event`s venue before being ushered on stage.
His poor sight is not helping
matter as well and it has gone so bad that, he now sits on stage while they
read names of important guests to be song-praise to his hearing, these was how
he managed at the Bakares` burial in Abeokuta around May, 2012 and recently at
Teju Baby Face` traditional engagement that held at 10 Degrees events centre,
Ikeja, Lagos where his agile heir-apparent, Tolu was so embarrassed at the fall
out of things, it was all written in his eyes that, all is definitely not well.
Please take your time to savour the pictures. A word they say…
Jite Usman
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