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‘Real reasons i love my Mother than my Father’ – Legendary Musician, Evang. Ebenezer Obey reveals

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9 years ago

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Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, who turned 75 years on Sunday has revealed that before he and his sister were born, his mother, a hardworking cloth seller was married to her first husband for 20 years and never got pregnant.

In the exclusive interview published by The Guardian, titled “Ebenezer Obey marks 75th birthday with music, foundation and training Institute” he narrated the story of his birth, growing up in Idogo, a farming settlement in Ogun State, spoke glowingly about his mother, whom he love more than his father, among other issues.
So, the family of the man called my mother’s family and spoke to them.
‘Well, they have both tried for 20 years, no issue. While we love Iyawo, we want both of them to go their separate ways and try their luck’. They want their son to marry another woman and they want my mother to go. So for a woman who loves her husband, it was a shock, and that was too much for my mother to bear. And when my mother’s relations saw her situation, she was crying, all the time, they told her to go to Idogo and hide her head. Her two elders brothers were living in Idogo then. That was what took my mother to Idogo.

“On getting to Idogo, my father proposed to marry my mother and God answered their prayers. The woman, who never got pregnant before became pregnant with my late sister, then myself. My father later left Idogo. He wanted my mother to go with him but my mother said, ‘no, Idogo is a place where God covered my nakedness, when they said I couldn’t have an issue.’ So, she stayed there. But the fact is that my mother was coming to Lagos for maternity care (while pregnant with me) because at the time, there was no hospital in Idogo. And that was why I was born in Lagos at Mercy Street Hospital. By birth I am a Lagosian and immediately, my mother took me back to Idogo. I grew up in Idogo, schooled in Idogo; my everything, music everything, career, started there. That is why I say that I am a Nigerian. God has given me the whole world as my territory. My parents are from Ogun State, both of them from Abeokuta. I was born in Lagos, taken back to Idogo and grew up in Idogo. That is my story.

On why he tends to love his mother more than his father, Obey revealed
“Let me say this, I love my father and I love my mother. But I love my mother more. The reason is this. When my father was leaving Idogo, he left my sister and I with my mother as babies. He had two other wives; so, he came to Lagos to meet his other two wives. He never came back a day to say, let me go and see my two children and my wife. I didn’t know my father until I was seven years old. But yet, I love my father, I did everything for my father. I built a house for him. I made him happy. And I equally made my mother happy. But I cannot forget the women who paid my school fees, the caring and all that she did was something that I can never forget.

“The woman came to this world just to live for her children. I don’t think I have ever seen any woman like that. Her everything was for her children. I saw that, I knew that, I cherish that, I appreciate that. I gave my father every good thing of life, took good care of him and we joked about it: ‘Daddy, why did you do that?’ And he said he knew my mother was very industrious, that anything she laid her hand upon succeeded. He knew that my mother would take care of us because he knew my mother’s interest was about her children. But we joked about it that that was not enough.

Read the full interview below:

I wonder which name you are most comfortable with, Chief Commander or Evangelist Ebenezer Obey?
They are both valid.

Congratulations on your 75th birthday What shape is the celebration going to take?
To clock 75 on earth is a thing of joy. It is by the mercy of God to attain this stage and it calls for thanking God and appreciating His goodness in one’s life. So, it calls for celebration and we kick-started the birthday activities with a police post that I built in Idogo, in Yewa South Local Government, Ogun State, where I grew up, where everything about me started. We started it last Thursday, March 23 and the main event comes up tomorrow, Monday, April 3, which happens to be my birthday, in Abeokuta. The church service will be starting by 10am to 12noon. King Sunny Ade will perform among many other artistes. Immediately after that, we are going to have the reception and launching of the Ebenezer Obey Music Foundation and Training Institute. It will be affiliated to Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun State. It is a youth empowerment and training institute. That is how we are going to celebrate.
The foundation will be endowing a chair in the university?
Yes.
Will it involve all kinds of music since you are mostly gospel?
It is not going to be restricted to gospel music, but music generally because if it is limited to gospel music it will be limited to a few people. I want people to benefit from the institute. Whatever they gain or after the training, people who want to specialise in gospel music can adapt to that. We don’t want it to be limited to gospel music so that others can benefit.

Because it is an endowment, does it mean that anybody who gets in will study for free?
No, the board of trustees is working out the best way for the training institute. It is something that I want to be sustained even after I might have gone. I am looking for something that will last long.

Like leaving a legacy?
Yes; so, that is why the board of trustees is putting everything together. The one that is going to be in Abeokuta will not stop us from having endowments in other universities as well. That may be specific scholarships. It is to spread my good gesture and my intention to such lives.
Just now you mentioned building a police post in Idogo. One would have expected you would say something like a hospital or school. Why a police post?
Well, it depends on circumstances. I do other things in the community there but I host the police post in my house in the town. I gave them an apartment that they were using for the police post free of charge. But the police asked for a place of their own not attached to a house. Idogo happens to be very close to the border. Left to the people of Idogo, they are not troublesome people; they are peaceful people. But notwithstanding, the security of our property and people is important. So, they don’t want the police post to continue in my house and if there is no police post, they want to move the police from Idogo back to Ilaro. Then the police would be coming from Ilaro to see to the security of that place. I know that that also is not good. It would have been okay if a police post had never been there before. For that reason, I saw it as a need and because there was a need, I provided that.

What is the true story of your birth? Where were you born and where did you grow up?
The true story of my life is this: I am a Nigerian (laughter). Number one. And as a Nigerian, God has given me the whole territory of performances where my message has been accepted. I operate from Nigeria, then go international. I have been to almost of every part of the world, and even in Nigeria. My music is all over the four corners of Nigeria. But I am more frequent in the South West. I go on tour in the north, and South East. Like I said, the entire world is my territory. Still on my origin, both my parents, my mother and my father, are from Abeokuta. My father is an Egba man and my mother is an Owu woman, but they left Abeokuta to Idogo. My father was a carpenter and my mother was a cloth seller, very industrious. So, it took my mother several years, almost 20 years in her first husband’s house and she was never pregnant.
So, the family of the man called my mother’s family and spoke to them. ‘Well, they have both tried for 20 years, no issue. While we love Iyawo, we want both of them to go their separate ways and try their luck’. They want their son to marry another woman and they want my mother to go. So for a woman who loves her husband, it was a shock, and that was too much for my mother to bear. And when my mother’s relations saw her situation, she was crying, all the time, they told her to go to Idogo and hide her head. Her two elders brothers were living in Idogo then. That was what took my mother to Idogo.
On getting to Idogo, my father proposed to marry my mother and God answered their prayers. The woman, who never got pregnant before became pregnant with my late sister, then myself. My father later left Idogo. He wanted my mother to go with him but my mother said, ‘no, Idogo is a place where God covered my nakedness, when they said I couldn’t have an issue.’ So, she stayed there. But the fact is that my mother was coming to Lagos for maternity care (while pregnant with me) because at the time, there was no hospital in Idogo. And that was why I was born in Lagos at Mercy Street Hospital. By birth I am a Lagosian and immediately, my mother took me back to Idogo. I grew up in Idogo, schooled in Idogo; my everything, music everything, career, started there. That is why I say that I am a Nigerian. God has given me the whole world as my territory. My parents are from Ogun State, both of them from Abeokuta. I was born in Lagos, taken back to Idogo and grew up in Idogo. That is my story.

You tend to mention your mum more; you want to tell us why?
Let me say this, I love my father and I love my mother. But I love my mother more. The reason is this. When my father was leaving Idogo, he left my sister and I with my mother as babies. He had two other wives; so, he came to Lagos to meet his other two wives. He never came back a day to say, let me go and see my two children and my wife. I didn’t know my father until I was seven years old. But yet, I love my father, I did everything for my father. I built a house for him. I made him happy. And I equally made my mother happy. But I cannot forget the women who paid my school fees, the caring and all that she did was something that I can never forget.
The woman came to this world just to live for her children. I don’t think I have ever seen any woman like that. Her everything was for her children. I saw that, I knew that, I cherish that, I appreciate that. I gave my father every good thing of life, took good care of him and we joked about it: ‘Daddy, why did you do that?’ And he said he knew my mother was very industrious, that anything she laid her hand upon succeeded. He knew that my mother would take care of us because he knew my mother’s interest was about her children. But we joked about it that that was not enough…
So, I saw the woman struggling, trying everything. I knew all she went through and I appreciate that. Before she died, she told me things. You know, mothers call their children my husband. I built a house for my mother in Abeokuta. I built a house for my father in Abeokuta. I have my own buildings there also. My mother called me and told me ‘Aremu, ma fi Idogo le’. That is, ‘don’t leave Idogo. She said, ‘Idogo, ilu ti olorun bo asiri mi’. That is, ‘that is where God covered my nakedness when they said I couldn’t have an issue and I came here, I had both male and female.’ There is no third one, it is either male or female. And when my father didn’t come for four years, when my mother didn’t see my father, she became pregnant and gave birth to my junior brother. That was how she was able to have three children. But like I said, I love my father; I loved him, but the way he saw it was that my mother was industrious. But I appreciate the woman. If she didn’t do all she did, I wouldn’t be what I am today. The care was so much. We never had any lack. Because she was a cloth seller our uniform in those days, the khaki was velvet; that was the colour of the khaki – that was what my mother sewed for us in school. We were different, and we looked different and well-taken care of and everybody could see and attest to that. That is enough for anyone to continue to love one’s dear mother.

You said you grew up in Idogo and also schooled there. So, did your music career also start in Idogo?
Yes, it did. Immediately I was born, my mother started taking me to church. My mother loved God so much and I grew up to see myself in the church. So, I was introduced to music from the church. I became a member of the choir, a member of the school band and later the school’s band leader. And when we had Idogo Boys and Girls Club, I became one of them. When they formed an orchestra, I was one of them and actually, I was holding a very prominent position in the choir, the school band and the boys and girls youth club, and in the band that was formed from the boys and girls youth club. I was the vocal lead, though I was the youngest and I was the star of the band.
I formed my first band in the year 1957, called Royal Mambo Orchestra. That was how it all started. I moved to Lagos and continued my music with two elderly men Akinyomi Savage and Bamgbose Jumoda, alias Abengo Mayana. It was through them that I met Fatai Rolling Dollar, who was my band leader for about six years. I was his second in command before I started my own band.

Did you leave Fatai Rolling Dollars to form The International Brothers or what was the sequence of your progression?
Yes, Inter-Reformers Band.

How did that movement go, how did that transition take place?
International Brothers Band became known in the world and I just decided to change the name of the band to International Reformers Band, which became Inter-Reformers Band from International Reformed Band.

What was the need for the change?
I lost one of my members, Oke Aminu, with whom I actually grew up in Idogo and went to school together. He was my junior in school. When I even formed my band, Royal Mambo Orchestra, he was my second-in-command. I was the one who initiated his coming to Lagos. Because I was progressing and I wanted to do a reformation that is why International Reformed Band was abbreviated to Inter-Reformer Band

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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Bank

Wema Bank Plc Sets the Record Straight on False and Misleading Publication by NDIC on Legacy Transactions Involving Defunct Gulf Bank Plc

Published

15 hours ago

on

May 15, 2026

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Wema Bank Plc Sets the Record Straight on False and Misleading Publication by NDIC on Legacy Transactions Involving Defunct Gulf Bank Plc

 

 

General Comments

Wema Bank Plc has noted with concern recent media publications containing false, misleading, and wholly unsubstantiated allegations regarding the sale of certain Banana Island properties purportedly linked to the defunct Gulf Bank Plc. We unequivocally reject these claims, which are inaccurate, malicious, and clearly intended to distort the true position. For the benefit of our stakeholders—shareholders, customers, regulators, and the general public—we set out below the factual background to the transaction.

 

The Original Exposure and Default

In 2002, Wema Bank Plc (the Bank) made an inter-bank placement with Gulf Bank Plc in the sum of ₦4.6 billion. By August 2004, that exposure had been reduced to approximately ₦1.2 billion, after which the outstanding obligation became delinquent. In seeking to recover depositors’ and shareholders’ funds, Wema Bank pursued lawful recovery steps, which ultimately dovetailed into a criminal investigation of the then Managing Director of Gulf Bank Plc.

 

Based on the investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the funds were found to have been diverted and used to acquire properties in Banana Island, Lagos, through two separate companies Bacad Finance & Investment Company Ltd (now known as Supra Commercial Trust Limited) and Euston Wenberg Eng Ltd. It is important to note that neither Bacad Finance & Investment Company Ltd (nor its successor, Supra Commercial Trust Limited) nor Euston Wenberg Eng Ltd is one and the same as Gulf Bank Plc. They are separate and distinct entities with no identity or equivalence to Gulf Bank. And the two companies are not subject to NDIC supervision.

 

In the course of its investigation, the EFCC conducted asset-tracing exercises that uncovered significant underlying fraud on a substantial scale. Following the EFCC’s findings, Bacad Finance & Investment Company Ltd and Euston Wenberg Eng Ltd voluntarily relinquished their proprietary interests in the Banana Island properties towards the satisfaction of Gulf Bank Indebtedness to Wema Bank. That process formed part of Wema Bank’s lawful recovery efforts and underscores the legitimacy of its actions against Gulf Bank.

 

NDIC’s Acknowledgment, Admission of Indebtedness, and Payment of Shortfall.

Critically, following the liquidation of Gulf Bank, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) admitted Gulf Bank’s indebtedness to Wema Bank in two separate letters:

A letter dated September 26, 2007, addressed to the Federal Land Registry; and

A letter dated June 10, 2009, addressed directly to Wema Bank Plc.

These letters constitute clear and formal recognition by the NDIC of the validity of Wema Bank’s claim against the defunct Gulf Bank and its interest over the property in question. Fortunately, both letters form part of the documents frontloaded by NDIC lawyer Dr. Dada Awosika SAN in court in the ongoing proceedings before Justice Allagoa of the Federal High Court Lagos.

 

Furthermore, after the sale of the properties, the NDIC in fact paid to Wema Bank, the shortfall of what was due to the Bank. These facts demonstrate that the NDIC was not only aware of the transaction but actively participated in settling the outstanding balance following the sale.

 

In light of the foregoing:

the voluntary relinquishment by Bacad (now Supra Commercial Trust Limited) and Euston Wenberg (distinct entities not constituting Gulf Bank), of the properties in Banana Island for the settlement of the indebtedness of the defunct Gulf Bank

 

the NDIC’s formal admission of Gulf Bank’s indebtedness to Wema Bank via its letters of September 26, 2007 (to the Federal Land Registry) and June 10, 2009 (to Wema Bank), both of which have been frontloaded in court by NDIC itself, and the acknowledgement of the relinquishment of the Banana Island properties, and

 

the NDIC’s own payment of the shortfall to Wema Bank,

 

NDIC is precluded from and cannot in good faith contest the relinquishment of those interests or the appropriateness of Wema Bank’s recovery efforts.

 

While we acknowledge that the NDIC has recently commenced two separate actions against Wema Bank at the Federal High Court, Lagos, purportedly in its capacity as liquidator of Gulf Bank Plc pursuant to a winding-up order, those proceedings do not alter the material facts stated above. As these matters are currently before the court and therefore sub judice, Wema Bank will refrain from commenting further on issues that fall for judicial determination. The Bank is taking all necessary steps to contest the suits filed in court and will explore all legal and legitimate means to protect its rights and interests.

 

Conclusion

 

Wema Bank Plc remains steadfast in its commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and transparency. We reaffirm our dedication to ethical and prudent banking practices and assure our shareholders, customers, regulators, and all relevant stakeholders that the Bank will continue to act responsibly, lawfully, and in the best interests of all parties it serves. The Bank will continue to exert its rights and will not succumb to the shenanigans of unscrupulous individuals who want to reap where they did not sow.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Johnson Lebile

General Counsel/Legal Adviser

[email protected]

 

About WEMA Bank Plc

Wema Bank Plc (NGX: WEMABANK) is the pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, and one of Nigeria’s most resilient banks. With decades of experience in the business of banking, the Bank has remained innovative in delivering value to its stakeholders. Wema Bank operates a network of over 150 branches and service stations backed by a robust ICT platform. The publicly quoted Nigerian company has successfully built a legacy of trust and resilience that has won it the loyalty of its customers. The Bank is constantly introducing products and services tailored to the needs of its customers at every stage of their lives. It is a proud partner to more than one million individuals, families and businesses across Nigeria, helping them achieve their personal and financial goals.

 

 

More information can be found at https://www.wemabank.com/about-us/

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Group Signs Investment Promotion Agreement in Ivory Coast as UNIPGC Deploys Funding for Capital Projects  

Published

2 days ago

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May 14, 2026

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Group Signs Investment Promotion Agreement in Ivory Coast as UNIPGC Deploys Funding for Capital Projects

– Ivorycoast, Cot’devouir 

 

Noble & Gold Consulting Ltd has officially signed a partnership agreement with Gicobat Group of Company to facilitate funding for capital projects in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, through the UNIPGC–Global Economic Development Council (GEDC), during a high-level Business and Investment Roundtable held in the country.

 

The meeting, which took place on May 12, 2026, at the World Trade Centre in Abidjan, brought together senior executives and stakeholders from both organizations, including His Excellency, Amb. Jonathan Ojadah GCOP, Global President of UNIPGC; Mr. Noble Eze, CEO of Noble & Gold Consulting Ltd; and the Chairman of Gicobat Group of Company, Côte d’Ivoire.

 

The roundtable focused on opportunities for capital project financing, investment promotion, and business development across strategic sectors of the economy. Following extensive deliberations, the parties finalized terms and signed an agreement aimed at advancing the projects discussed during the engagement.

 

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the UNIPGC-GEDC, His Excellency Amb. Jonathan Ojadah, delivered a presentation titled *“How Reputable Brands Can Secure Funding for Capital Projects.”* He stated that the agreement represents a major milestone in supporting high-profile business initiatives that require structured financing and professional project management.

 

According to him, the partnership aligns with UNIPGC-GEDC’s mandate as a leading investment promotion, advisory, and business development institution operating across Africa and internationally.

 

> “Today, I am delighted to address this important topic on how leaders of established and reputable brands can secure the capital required for major expansion, technological advancement, or infrastructure development. The objective is not merely to find funding, but to attract the right funding at the most competitive cost of capital,” he stated.

 

He emphasized that brand reputation remains a critical asset in attracting investors and financial institutions.

 

> “In business, reputation is everything. In the world of capital-intensive projects, reputation is more than public perception; it is an asset class. A reputable brand represents stability, proven performance, and trustworthiness,” he added.

 

Amb. Ojadah further noted that successful funding processes begin long before formal investment pitches are made. According to him, investors seek organizations that demonstrate value stewardship, operational excellence, and financial discipline.

 

Drawing from his international experience in capital project engagements across Egypt, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and other countries, he highlighted several categories of major funding institutions involved in large-scale development financing. These include multilateral development banks, government agencies, private foundations, and impact investors focused on infrastructure, healthcare, real estate, energy, oil and gas, and sustainable development.

 

Among the institutions he referenced were the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Union (EU), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Mastercard Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the UNIPGC Foundation.

 

He explained that through the UNIPGC Global Economic Development Council (GEDC), the organization facilitates funding opportunities for startups, private sector operators, and government projects through public-private partnerships (PPP), leveraging its network of international funding partners and financial institutions.

 

Amb. Ojadah identified three critical indicators commonly assessed by investors and lenders before financing projects:

 

1. **Transparency and Financial Performance** – Organizations must maintain audited financial records, quality assets, and sustainable growth patterns.

 

2. **Operational Excellence** – Investors prefer businesses with proven operational systems and stable cash flow generation, which reduce investment risks.

 

3. **A Strong Project Narrative** – Businesses must clearly demonstrate how proposed projects align with long-term strategic goals such as digital transformation, automation, infrastructure expansion, or increased market competitiveness.

 

He also outlined key strategies reputable brands can adopt in securing project financing, including bank financing, strategic partnerships, vendor financing arrangements, private equity investments, and asset-based lending structures.

 

> “Securing capital for projects as a reputable brand is ultimately about combining trust with strategic planning. Reputation is your strongest asset, and when paired with sound financial planning and a compelling vision, it becomes a powerful tool for building the future,” he concluded.

 

For Gicobat Group of Company, the partnership is expected to accelerate the execution of ongoing and proposed projects by leveraging UNIPGC-GEDC’s network of investors and financial partners. Officials of the company expressed confidence that the collaboration would significantly improve project implementation timelines and financing accessibility.

 

Organizers noted that the choice of the World Trade Centre, Abidjan, as the venue reflected the international scope and significance of the engagement, particularly for negotiations involving capital-intensive projects in infrastructure, trade, and industrial development.

 

UNIPGC-GEDC describes itself as a leading global investment promotion, advisory, and business development consultancy, working with governments, private enterprises, and institutional investors to structure, finance, and manage large-scale projects from inception to completion.

 

According to the organization, the Abidjan agreement adds to its expanding portfolio of strategic partnerships aimed at unlocking capital for projects with significant economic and social impact. It also confirmed that due diligence and project structuring processes had been completed prior to the signing to ensure project bankability and investor confidence.

 

Officials from both organizations further disclosed that implementation teams would be constituted immediately to oversee the next phase of the agreement. Although specific project details were not disclosed, both parties assured stakeholders that updates would be communicated as implementation milestones are achieved.

 

UNIPGC-GEDC also encouraged businesses, institutions, and investors with high-impact projects requiring financing or management support to engage with its team for collaboration opportunities. Further information on its services is available via UNIPGC-GEDC Official Website www.unipgc.org/gedc

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech

Published

2 days ago

on

May 14, 2026

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech.

 

The founder of coHouse.ng is reimagining how millions of Africans access, experience, and share housing through technology.

 

In Africa’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape, the most transformative companies are no longer defined by the industries they enter, but by the systems they redesign.

 

For Dennis Ekamah, the opportunity was never about constructing buildings, it was about confronting a deeper question.

 

why is access to housing still so structurally difficult for millions of Africans in a digital age?

 

Rather than stepping into real estate as a developer. Dennis chose a different path, positioning coHouse.ng as a PropTech platform rethinking how housing is accessed, experienced, and shared. At the heart of this vision which is connecting potential home owners together via resource pooling for the purpose of either Living or Growth. Simply, *Connect. Live. Grow.*

 

*A Platform Not a Property Company*

 

coHouse.ng is not a real estate company. It is a technology-driven ecosystem connecting like-minded individuals into structured communities where they can live intentionally, invest collectively, and grow within a shared system.

 

From Insight to Recognition

 

In 2025, coHouse.ng was recognised among the Top 50 Tech Startups in Africa. Even ahead of its official launch, the platform attracted over 1,000 early waitlist users, individuals eager to be part of a new way of living and investing.

 

Solving for Access, Alignment, and Trust

 

Dennis Ekamah’s diagnosis goes deeper than supply shortfalls. The real barriers he argues are access, coordination, and trust. coHouse.ng tackles all three through identity verification powered by a third party verification system api. coHouse is not flying solo without the help and collaboration with government bodies across Nigeria and other African countries.

 

In his words;

“Imagine what you would achieve as an individual or group if you’re living with the right people or like-minded individuals around you.”

 

I’m not a developer, I’m not a professional realtor, I’m just someone who sees the need for this solution based on the problem we face as youth/young entrepreneurs in today’s housing deficiency across Africa.

— Dennis Ekamah

 

Join our waitlist by visiting www.cohouse.ng

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