A few weeks back, a fake news broke that Evangelist Ebenezer Obey had passed on. And hell was let loose. There was pandemonium everywhere, especially among the friends of the Juju music Commander, only for them to realise that nothing like that happened.
Baba Obey was our guest on City People Instagram Live a few days ago and he told us how he heard the fake news like everyone else. Below are excerpts of the chant.
Let me start by asking you how it has been since March when the lockdown started?
This Covid-19 pandemic is not a friend to the whole world especially the entertainment industry. I believe it has affected the entertainment industry much more than any other are. All the engagement that had been booked earlier were cancelled. That is on one side.
What is important is for us to abide by all that government is telling us to do, by washing our hands, using our face mask and keeping social distance.
We really need to take care of ourselves and keep safe, because when there is life there is hope. But on a more serious note, musicians are the worst hit. May God help us.
Do you miss active stage playing since March?
Definitely! Even in ministry. Coronavirus is an enemy, enemy of progress. It is affecting the economy of the whole world. Our economy in Nigeria is not on the good side at all. Moreso, that we are dependent on oil and no one is buying now. So, it is a lesson for every one of us. Like I have been campaigning “Agriculture Is The Future Of Our Country” we can grow food, sell and feed ourselves. Now that the government is encouraging agriculture, the best thing is for everybody to embrace it. Unfortunately for many musicians, especially the instrumentalists who believe this is their life and failed to take the counsel to find something else in addition to what they are doing. Music alone is not enough, because of a time like this. Instrumentalists must look for something else in addition.
Do you think should be re-open now sir?
I believe we should do something in this nation. No 1, many are saying open the Schools and the Church. Some are saying don’t open. Those who are campaigning to open the church are right and those who are saying don’t open the school and the church are also right. But this is where I stand. Let us do everything possible to observe all the instructions, to make sue we keep all those instructions but yet I want us to take a bold step, what do I mean? With this Coronavirus, you can not say when it is going to end, and the time.
I saw something in the Bible that I have been talking about, that I believe if we borrow that, it will work for us. Nehemiah when he was rebuilding the house of God. There were quite a lot of enemies like Covid-19 is our enemy now. Nehemiah was confronted with a lot of obstacles and what he did then was that; he said “can somebody like me run for this situation” and what do they do?
They were building the wall with one hand and had a weapon, on the other hand, defending themselves. Because if they don’t do that, they won’t be able to do anything at all. And the same thing happened to the 7-leppers in the Bible. In the same situation, they said to themselves “If we stay indoor hunger will kill us, if we go outside we would be killed” Either we stay indoor or we go out, we would be killed; let us take the risk of going out and if they kill us we would die”. They stepped out and lo and behold God had already performed a miracle by setting ambushed against the enemies. They were hearing the noise they have never heard before and they ran away, as they were running all their golds and everything fell down.
As the leppers got to their camp they started eating and packing all the golds. They said to themselves, that it won’t be okay if they keep this to themselves and went to the King’s house. That was how the King knew the enemies are no more in the land.
For how long are we going to wait? And I believe churches can take care of the social distancing. They can tell their workers what to do and what not to do and people will listen and abide. The same thing can be done in the school
People have been dying before now and people will continue to die. Only this pandemic is alarming but we have to be strong to take care of what is necessary. Why don’t we try to educate more on the reality of Coronavirus, because it is real? Let them take necessary steps on those that are violating the orders. Those that refuse to use their nose mask especially, if they need to be arrested and punished let them do so than what it is been done now.
Coronavirus is real. We are hearing it all over the world and some people still think it is not real. What else do they need to know? But let be strong enough to confront it and you will see the result. I am not saying this because I belong to the entertainment industry but we must take a bold step to get out of these ones and for all.
The isolation centres are there but people are not going there. The best thing is to open the churches and give them strict instructions. I think that is the only way.
How did you receive the news that happened few weeks back sir?
You mean the Fake Rumour about my death (laugh).
Yes sir. How did you receive it, sir?
Thank God it has come and it has gone. But I know that we have to deal with fake news. People must be sure of whatever information they want to pass across.
How did you hear the news sir?
I was with Lanre my son, we were sitting down together and all of a sudden his phone rang, he excused himself and I was hearing “my daddy! No nothing has happened to my daddy, I am here with him. No, my daddy is not dead” Then Bishop Folarin ran inside and said, “daddy they have come with the fake news again, they said you are dead”.
Before we know it, from that moment since 2 am calls was just coming in from all over. Another thing, I was humbled because I know that I have fans, admirers all over the world. People really showed me that they really care for me and I thank everybody for taking their time to check up on me. Some even went to the church. I also thank God that my time is not now I haven’t finished my assignment.
Where you able to trace the source of the rumour sir?
Well, my children were trying to trace it but I told them it is not necessary because even if you know what are you going to do in this era of social media, which has both positive and negative areas. One of the bad areas of social media is the fake news, whereby, somebody will just wake up and post, what he likes. So, tracing them is going to be a total waste of time. The most important thing is for everyone who wants to say something on the internet should always make sure that what you want to say is nothing but the truth.
What do you do normally on your day to day activities?
I have a Gym at my house in Lagos and Abeokuta. I do exercise to keep myself fit. My devotion too takes so much time. When I wake up as early as 4 am, I do my morning devotion for at least 2 and a half hours. And that has always been my best time because it helps me to add to my knowledge and also have a good relationship with the Holy Spirit. When you have a relationship with the holy, you must read scriptures, you must hear preachers, you must watch different preachings.
Those are the things that occupy my time. And I listen to a different kind of music too. I also listen to my music and I see what my music is doing to others. I thank God for giving me such opportunity to have recorded such evergreen albums back in the days.
How do you always react when people carry rumour about you?
In those days when they carry any rumour about me, I will release a record to counter it. I remembered I released many albums to that effect in 1968. Whenever they do that they help me to compose. Even this last one something big is coming out.
I must release a record and advice people about fake news and all their evils. It will soon be out.
When are you releasing it?
I will soon go to the studio and release it. I would be coming up with a lot of enlightenment messages like rape. What is the sense for an old man having an affair with a 2-year-old girl? I am happy they have sentenced someone to live imprisonment. That is what we need in this country and I am also releasing song towards it.
READ ALSO: CAUGHT RIGHT INSIDE BOBBY’S TRAP!
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