Veteran juju maestro and founder of the Ebenezer Obey Music and Life Skills Institute, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, has charged Nigerian graduates to deploy their education and talents towards driving positive change and building a better society.
Obey-Fabiyi gave the charge on Saturday during the signing-out ceremony of 79 students of the sixth graduating set of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, held at the Abeokuta Centre of his institute.
The music legend, who shared his personal story of resilience and self-belief, told the graduates that true success comes from discipline, hard work, and service to humanity.
“It is good to believe in yourself, and it is good to sell yourself. If you believe in yourself, you will go far. I started with nothing, walking long distances from Mushin to Lagos in search of opportunities to record music, but my belief kept me going.
“Today, I am giving back through this centre to empower young people with education, skills, and moral values,” Obey said.
Reflecting on his first international tour to London in 1969, Obey revealed that his experience inspired him to establish a skills-acquisition institute to prepare Nigerian youths for opportunities beyond academics.
He added, “When I saw how Nigerians in London took up jobs as bricklayers and others, I told myself I would return home and set up a centre that would blend learning with practical life skills. That vision has today become a reality.”
Addressing the students, the Director of the Centre for Part-Time and Professional Studies, Al-Hikmah University, Dr Lateef Mustapha, said the graduation marked a celebration of resilience and creativity, noting that education must go beyond classroom teaching to include entrepreneurship and community service.
He told the graduates, “Your real success will not be measured by your grades, but by the impact you make on society.”
Former Vice-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Sabiru Adesanya, in his goodwill message, commended the institute’s role in human capacity development and urged the students to remain worthy ambassadors.
Earlier, the Director of the institute, Mr Adekunle Durosinmi, described the ceremony as a milestone, stressing that the steady increase in graduates demonstrates the trust students place in the institute’s unique blend of moral instruction and professional training.
The 79 graduates were drawn from Accounting, Computer Science, Business Administration, and Mass Communication.
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