- Legendary Jùjú musician Chief Ebenezer Obey revealed his mother spent 20 barren years in her first marriage before his birth
- Obey shared how his mother physically dragged him away from rehearsals, determined he would become a lawyer rather than a musician
- The icon also recalled trekking seven miles from Mushin to Lagos to convince a record company he was a “future star”
Legendary Nigerian Jùjú musician and gospel evangelist, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey has shared the remarkable story behind his existence, revealing that his mother endured two decades without a pregnancy before he came into the world.
Speaking during an interview on Monicazation’s YouTube series Tales of Our Legends, aired on July 30, 2026, the singer, born Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Fabiyi, described his very birth as a divine testimony.
Source: Instagram
Ebenezer Obey’s mother’s 20-year wait
According to Ebenezer Obey, his mother spent 20 years in her first marriage without ever conceiving.
The man’s family eventually intervened, dissolving the union and sending both parties off to start afresh.
Devastated, Ebenezer Obey’s mother retreated to Idogo in Ogun State to stay with her senior brothers and recover emotionally.
It was in Idogo that she met Ebenezer Obey’s father, a carpenter and farmer who had relocated there from Abeokuta.
The woman who had spent two decades without a child soon fell pregnant, first delivering a daughter they named Grace, and then, in a second pregnancy, Ebenezer Obey himself.
Obey said he was born at Massey Street Hospital in Lagos, since Idogo had no medical facility at the time, but was taken back to the community almost immediately after birth.
“My history is an awesome testimony,” he said during the interview.
Source: Instagram
From choir boy to music legend
Ebenezer Obey’s early passion for music blossomed through church choir and school band activities in Idogo, where he eventually rose to become band leader.
His mother, however, had entirely different ambitions for him. She wanted him to become either a lawyer or a medical doctor, and she made that clear in no uncertain terms.
On more than one occasion, she tracked him down to rehearsal spots using a lantern, grabbed him by the hand, and marched him home, insisting he would not become a drummer.
Ebenezer Obey recalled promising her he would stay away from alcohol, smoking, and any behaviour she disapproved of, but that music would remain his path.
He said she eventually witnessed his success before she passed on.
His professional journey took a significant turn when he encountered musicians who inspired him, including the late Adeolu Akinsanya and Fatai Rolling Dollar, with whom he built a close friendship after bonding over their shared love of composition.
The veteran singer also played alongside Afrobeats pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s band for six years before launching his own.
One particularly vivid moment from the interview involved his first attempt to approach Decca West Africa for a recording deal.
With no money and no appointment, Ebenezer Obey said he trekked roughly seven miles from Mushin to Lagos, introduced himself to the gateman as “a future star,” and eventually talked his way past a secretary straight into the managing director’s office.
He formed his first band, the Real Mambo Orchestra, in 1957, a career now spanning well over six decades.
Watch the full interview of Ebenezer Obey in the video below:
Ebenezer Obey recounts journey into ministry
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that legendary Nigerian musician Ebenezer Obey recalled how he resisted God’s call into full-time ministry for over 11 years despite his thriving secular career.
He revealed that Archbishop Benson Idahosa patiently guided him through prayer and mentorship, eventually ordaining him as an evangelist on his 50th birthday.
Since then, Obey has embraced evangelism wholeheartedly, channelling his music into soul-winning rather than entertainment alone.
Source: Legit.ng