Obey Commander, Millennials’ Favourite

Many of the genZ have heard and wonder who Ebenezer Obey is and still one of the millennials favourite songs and track. For a very long time, Ebenezer Obey gave the country, the Yoruba land a juju slow beat and high live music to sway to.

Born Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Fabiyi on 3rd April to an Egba family in Idogo, Ogun State; Ebenezer Obey is a creative Nigerian Juju & Storytelling musician who started his professional career in the mid-1950s after moving to Lagos.

He learnt the art and craft of his talent under the legendary Fatai Rolling-Dollar as part of his band. Ebenezer later formed a band, The International Brothers in 1964, playing highlife – jùjú fusion. His style was simple – playing a slow and music composed of layered guitars and Yoruba percussion sounds. Always a cultural and religious traditionalist, Obey worked within the praise song mold, vaunting both Christianity and praise of his guests. He developed his juju style, and conducting an informal and highly creative campaign.

Popularly called Commander by his fans, the Inter-Reformers band excel in praise-singing for rich Nigerian socialites and business tycoons. Obey, however, is also renowned for Christian spiritual themes in his music and has since the early-1990s retired into Nigerian gospel music ministry.

To stand out and be a fore runner of his craft, he developed himself and new musical systems, metamorphosing his band into Inter-Reformers in the early 1970s, adding as many as 20 new musicians to his ensemble at a time, extending the length of his album tracks, and pumping out hit after hits. He became a household name, recognized in the nooks and cranny of the country for many years. Obey later went on to enjoyed international success in 1980 with Current Affairs.

He went ahead to release many works between 1964-2002, releasing over 84 songs, 54 albums and his evergreen song as an album in later years.