We need the wisdom of God to begin a new life after COVID-19 —Evangelist Ebenezer Obey

In this interview by SEYI SOKOYA, music legend and the General Overseer of Decross Gospel Mission, Lagos State, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, talks about the need for God’s wisdom to overcome the novel coronavirus which has held the world down.

You are one of the voices that command respect in the music industry and in the Christian community in Nigeria. Let us know your position on the present situation of the country. 

The world and our country, Nigeria are being affected by COVID-19 and this virus has troubled the whole world and we can recognize that it started in December. Looking at that, we can say that only God knows about that as there is no cure yet.  It started in China and spread to America, Italy and then to every part of the world. By this occurence, God is speaking to the whole world that He is the all-powerful, I Am that I Am that created this world and heaven.  God is speaking because everybody thinks He is powerful, we know it all, including the powers in the world. In some parts of the world, people do not believe that there is God. God is speaking and making His presence known. In the last one month, what have we been able to do? It may please God to let the vaccine for this virus be found. If it pleases God, that may be possible tomorrow and everybody will get it. And the part of the world that comes up with the solution will think they are the ones who made it; they are not the one.  For the last four  months, nobody has been able to proffer a lasting solution to what is happening. God is just saying “I am God”. What has anybody been able to do? With the Americans, the Italians, Africans in every part of the world, there has been no solution. I believe God is speaking that we need to fear Him and appreciate His existence and know that He is God the Almighty. Otherwise, there could have been a solution.  Everybody is running helter-skelter, and people are perishing day by day from COVID-19. I pray that God will give us a solution.  The answer is around the corner and the answer will come in Jesus name.

 

It is obvious that COVID-19 has affected religious activities, Churches have been shut down for sometime now and this is also affecting your ministry one way or the other.How has it disconnected you from fellowship with your congregation and your ministry? How do you feel personally?

To the body of Christ generally, I feel sad, as no one is left out.  The body of Christ has been put on hold as services have been stopped, but now God is trying to pass a message across to the whole world. God is telling us that we need to fear Him, because the fear of God is what was lacking. Some people believe they are all in all, now those people who even have the wealth of the world cannot reach where their money is. That is God. After this COVID-19, a lot of people will be humbled because I know that God is speaking to everyone. What we need now is the salvation of God to bring us out of this pandemic which is threatening the whole world. The fear of God is what we need.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom is not disobeying God and we need the wisdom of God to begin a new life after COVID-19.  When a vaccine is found, and it will, it is God who will do it. Glory should be given to God.  There is no other way out than to look up to God. Nobody is able to come up with solutions, we should look up to Him and know that our deliverance can only come from God and through God alone. Nobody is above mistake; I also make mistakes, God is a good God, He teaches me and He brings different experiences for my mistakes. I am always better. I thank God that He has been using that to make me move closer to Him.

 

 Sunday services are being done online now due to this pandemic. Do you think the Church will remain the same after COVID-19?

Yes, because according to history, something similar happened about a hundred years ago and when it happened, churches were closed, schools were closed, everything that is happening now, happened then. The Church came back again because people would have learnt more lessons that there is God, those who didn’t believe that there is God will believe, and it will draw more people to God. It may be slowly, but it will happen. Those who have tasted the goodness of God have enjoyed that and they know what it is. It is good that we are worshiping God from home, but God wants us to fellowship together. God said where two or three are gathered in my name, I am with them.

 

You are a music legend and you are respected in the industry, especially in the gospel arm, but now there are mixed feelings in the industry whereby some gospel artistes have used the opportunity to raise people’s hopes through special songs for COVID-19. Some other musicians are calling for palliatives from the government because it has also affected them, what would you say as regards this?

There is nothing bad in artistes singing to raise the hope of the people in this period. There is nothing occupying their time. They are free. Everybody is staying at home and for those who have come up with such songs it is a good thing.  At least, pulling the nerves of people and raising hopes. I have seen some of the artistes sing some of my songs against the virus, commanding it to leave.  This really affected the music industry, both gospel and secular because all engagements were cancelled or postponed indefinitely. Musicians, instrumentalists are all at home, I want to say this is the time for musicians to think of having something else to do; not that they should change profession but they need to have something else. The world generally is not going to remain the same after we have overcome the virus. The time now is telling us that agriculture is an important sector government should develop. Musicians can go into in agriculture, because food is very important. All the things we use in Nigeria are imported from overseas, now COVID-19 is not going to allow us import. This is the time for everybody to look inward and the government should also help the small scale businesses and enterprises. The industries need to produce what we use in Nigeria, gloves, face mask, all that are being imported. This is the time for people to start producing them locally. We need to be self- sufficient; musicians need not change their profession, but they should add to it. So, it is possible to do other things and do music. We pray that God will bring a refreshing moment to the whole world.

 

How do you feel with the fact that you have not been singing for almost a month now?

Well, I feel fine, because I have done lots of music, but as regards this virus, it has affected music industry in the world today and it is affecting everyone. There is time for everything under the heaven that is what the word of God says, a time to gather together and a time to move away, a time to sow and a time to reap, it is affecting everyone. There is nothing coming in but the sufficient grace of God is sure to be enough for us.  It is very possible to have what we had then, but with the grace of God, we shall weather the storm and come out strong.

 

What is your take on the steps the government has taken to curtail the spread of the virus?

They have tried their best in so many ways to fight against the spread of the virus. The major step is the lockdown in most affected states. They are also taking other sensitive measures in the health sector. But they need to do more to as the situation is becoming unbearable to many Nigerians. Above all, we need to continue to pray as a nation for the restoration of peace in the country and the world at large.

 

 

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