Ebenezer Obey played in his first band, Fatayi Rolling Dollar and the Federal Rhythm Brothers Orchestra, before moving to Lagos in 1963 to form his own band. The International Brothers changed their name to Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & His Inter Reformers Band in 1971.
However, they didn't just change their name. The Inter Reformers sped up the juju style and added electric guitars and electric bass to their line up. This created a much cleaner approach to the music. The sound struck such a chord with Nigerian crowds that he actually had bigger sales than King Sunny Ade in the 1970s. The title that he used to dub his particular brand of juju was "miliki system." He even opened up his own night club called Miliki Spot but by the mid 1970s, he found his fame once again being threatened by the music of Sunny Ade.
Although, he never achieved the international acclaim that King Sunny Ade did, he still remains one of the most important musicians in Nigeria today.
Listen to his first American release on Shanachie Records.
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