Ebenezer Obey
Encyclopedia
Ebenezer Obey nickname
d the "Chief Commander," is a Nigerian pop musician.
. He began his professional career in the mid-1950s after moving to Lagos
. After tutelage under Fatai Rolling-Dollar's band, he formed a band called The International Brothers in 1964, playing highlife
-juju
fusion. The band later metamorphosed into Inter-Reformers in the early-1970s, with a long list of Juju album hits on the West African Decca musical label.
Obey began experimenting with Yoruba
percussion
style and expanding on the band by adding more drum kits, guitars and talking drums. Obey's musical strengths lie in weaving intricate Yoruba axioms into dance-floor compositions. As is characteristic of Nigerian Yoruba social-circle music, 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.
1965*Aiye Gba Jeje b/w Ifelodun*Gari Ti Won b/w Orin Adura
1966*Awolowo Babawa Tide b/w Oluwa Niagbara Emi Mi*Palongo b/w Teti Ko Gboro Kan*Oro Miko Lenso b/w Orin Ajinde*Late Justice Olumide Omololu b/w Iyawo Ti Mo Ko Fe
1967*Olomi Gbo Temi b/w Maria Odeku*To Keep Nigeria One b/w Awa Sope Odun Titun*Edumare Lon Pese b/w Omo Olomo*Ope Fun Oluwa b/w Paulina
1968*Ore Mi E Si Pelepele b/w Ajo Ni Mo wa*Ijebu L'ade b/w Lati Owolabi*Col. Ben Adekunle b/w Ori Bayemi*Lolade Wilkey b/w Adetunji Adeyi*Gbe Bemi Oluwa b/w Olowo Laiye Mo
1969*Ode To Nso Eledumare b/w Pegan Pegan*Sanu-olu b/w K'Oluwa So Pade Wa*London Lawa Yi b/w Oro Seniwo*Isokan Nigeria / etc*Eni Mayo Ayo / etc1969/1970*Emi Yio Gbe Oluwa Ga b/w Ise Teni
1970*Lawyer Adewuyi*Ala Taja Bala b/w Ohun Toluwa Ose*Ogun Pari / etc*In London*On The Town
1971*Ija Pari (Part One) b/w Ija Pari (Part Two)*Esa Ma Miliki b/w Awon Alhaji*Face to Face b/w Late Rex Lawson*Oro Nipa Lace b/w Yaro Malaika
1972*Late Oba Gbadelo II*Board Members*Vol.4: Aiye Wa A Toro*In London Vol. 3*Odun Keresimesi
1973*And His Miliki Sound*The Horse, The Man and His Son*E Je Ka Gbo T'Oluwa*Adeventure of Mr. Music*Mo Tun Gbe De
1974*Inter-Reformers A Tunde*Eko Ila*Around the World*Iwalka Ko Pe
1975*Mukulu Muke Maa Jo*Ota Mi Dehin Lehin Mi*Alo Mi Alo*Edumare Dari Jiwon
1976*Late Great Murtara Murtala Ramat Muhammed*Operation Feed The Nation
1977*Eda To Mose Okunkun*Immortal Sings for Travellers*Adam and Eve
1978*Igba Owuro Lawa*Oluwa Ni Olusa Aguntan Mi*No Place Be Like My Country Nigeria
1979*In the Sixties Vol.1*In the Sixties Vol.2*Igba Laiye*Sky*E Wa Kiye Soro Mi*Omo Mi Gbo Temi
1980*Leave Everything to God*Current Affairs*Sound of the Moment*Eyi Yato
1981*Joy of Salvation*What God Has Joined Together
1982*Celebration*Austerity*Precious Gift
1983*Ambition*Singing for the People*Greatest Hits Vol. 3*Je Ka Jo*Thank You (Ose)
1984*The Only Condition to Save Nigeria*Solution*Peace1985*Security*My Vision
1986*Gbeja Mi Eledumare*Satisfaction*Providence
1987*Aimasiko*Immortality*Victory*Patience
1988*Determination*Vanity
1989*Formula 0-1-0*Get Yer Jujus Out
1990*Count Your Blessing*On the Rock
1991*Womanhood
1993*Good News
1994*I Am a Winner*Walking Over (1994 ?)
1995*The Legend
1999*Millennial Blessings
2000*Promised Land
2002*Ase Oluwa
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d the "Chief Commander," is a Nigerian pop musician.
Biography
Obey, whose full name is Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi, was born in Idogo, Ogun State, Nigeria of Egba-Yoruba ethnic background. He is of the Owu subgroup of the EgbaEgba
The Egba are a clan of the Yoruba people who live in western Nigeria. Many Egba live in the city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.- History :...
. He began his professional career in the mid-1950s after moving to Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. After tutelage under Fatai Rolling-Dollar's band, he formed a band called The International Brothers in 1964, playing highlife
Highlife
Highlife is a musical genre that originated in Ghana in the 1900s and spread to Sierra Leone, Nigeria and other West African countries by 1920...
-juju
Jùjú music
Jùjú is a style of Nigerian popular music, derived from traditional Yoruba percussion. The name comes from a Yoruba word "juju" or "jiju" meaning "throwing" or "something being thrown." Juju music did not derive its name from juju, which "is a form of magic and the use of magic objects or...
fusion. The band later metamorphosed into Inter-Reformers in the early-1970s, with a long list of Juju album hits on the West African Decca musical label.
Obey began experimenting with Yoruba
Yoruba music
The music of the Yoruba people of Nigeria is best known for an extremely advanced drumming tradition, especially using the dundun hourglass tension drums. Yoruba folk music became perhaps the most prominent kind of West African music in Afro-Latin and Caribbean musical styles...
percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
style and expanding on the band by adding more drum kits, guitars and talking drums. Obey's musical strengths lie in weaving intricate Yoruba axioms into dance-floor compositions. As is characteristic of Nigerian Yoruba social-circle music, 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.
Partial discography
1964*Ewa Wo Ohun Ojuri1965*Aiye Gba Jeje b/w Ifelodun*Gari Ti Won b/w Orin Adura
1966*Awolowo Babawa Tide b/w Oluwa Niagbara Emi Mi*Palongo b/w Teti Ko Gboro Kan*Oro Miko Lenso b/w Orin Ajinde*Late Justice Olumide Omololu b/w Iyawo Ti Mo Ko Fe
1967*Olomi Gbo Temi b/w Maria Odeku*To Keep Nigeria One b/w Awa Sope Odun Titun*Edumare Lon Pese b/w Omo Olomo*Ope Fun Oluwa b/w Paulina
1968*Ore Mi E Si Pelepele b/w Ajo Ni Mo wa*Ijebu L'ade b/w Lati Owolabi*Col. Ben Adekunle b/w Ori Bayemi*Lolade Wilkey b/w Adetunji Adeyi*Gbe Bemi Oluwa b/w Olowo Laiye Mo
1969*Ode To Nso Eledumare b/w Pegan Pegan*Sanu-olu b/w K'Oluwa So Pade Wa*London Lawa Yi b/w Oro Seniwo*Isokan Nigeria / etc*Eni Mayo Ayo / etc1969/1970*Emi Yio Gbe Oluwa Ga b/w Ise Teni
1970*Lawyer Adewuyi*Ala Taja Bala b/w Ohun Toluwa Ose*Ogun Pari / etc*In London*On The Town
1971*Ija Pari (Part One) b/w Ija Pari (Part Two)*Esa Ma Miliki b/w Awon Alhaji*Face to Face b/w Late Rex Lawson*Oro Nipa Lace b/w Yaro Malaika
1972*Late Oba Gbadelo II*Board Members*Vol.4: Aiye Wa A Toro*In London Vol. 3*Odun Keresimesi
1973*And His Miliki Sound*The Horse, The Man and His Son*E Je Ka Gbo T'Oluwa*Adeventure of Mr. Music*Mo Tun Gbe De
1974*Inter-Reformers A Tunde*Eko Ila*Around the World*Iwalka Ko Pe
1975*Mukulu Muke Maa Jo*Ota Mi Dehin Lehin Mi*Alo Mi Alo*Edumare Dari Jiwon
1976*Late Great Murtara Murtala Ramat Muhammed*Operation Feed The Nation
1977*Eda To Mose Okunkun*Immortal Sings for Travellers*Adam and Eve
1978*Igba Owuro Lawa*Oluwa Ni Olusa Aguntan Mi*No Place Be Like My Country Nigeria
1979*In the Sixties Vol.1*In the Sixties Vol.2*Igba Laiye*Sky*E Wa Kiye Soro Mi*Omo Mi Gbo Temi
1980*Leave Everything to God*Current Affairs*Sound of the Moment*Eyi Yato
1981*Joy of Salvation*What God Has Joined Together
1982*Celebration*Austerity*Precious Gift
1983*Ambition*Singing for the People*Greatest Hits Vol. 3*Je Ka Jo*Thank You (Ose)
1984*The Only Condition to Save Nigeria*Solution*Peace1985*Security*My Vision
1986*Gbeja Mi Eledumare*Satisfaction*Providence
1987*Aimasiko*Immortality*Victory*Patience
1988*Determination*Vanity
1989*Formula 0-1-0*Get Yer Jujus Out
1990*Count Your Blessing*On the Rock
1991*Womanhood
1993*Good News
1994*I Am a Winner*Walking Over (1994 ?)
1995*The Legend
1999*Millennial Blessings
2000*Promised Land
2002*Ase Oluwa