DID YOU KNOW? Sunny Okosun’s father kicked against his music-making ambition

Stella Okosun, sister to Sonny Okosun, the late Nigerian singer, has announced the passing of Duke Akhere Okosun, her father.

According to NAN, Stella disclosed that he had passed away at the age of 110 in October 2021.

She said the news of Okosun’s demise couldn’t be disclosed until after three months due to traditional rites.

She further revealed that, up until his death, he served as the “Odionwele”, the second in command to the king of Irrua in Edo state.

“As the Odionwele, the second in command to the king of  Irrua in Edo with about 20 villages under husband care, traditional rites demand that announcement of his passing should wait until after three months,” she said

“When he died, we couldn’t announce immediately because of the traditional rites that demand we wait until after three months.”

Stella praised her father, describing him as a disciplinarian and a fulfilled man.

“He was a fulfilled man and dedicated to serving the people of his community so much that one could not identify who was his biological child and who was not,” she said.

“He had nine children, and asides from my brother Sonny, who died in May 2008 in my arms in the US, the remaining eight are all alive and well.”

Speaking on her late brother, Stella revealed that the late Odionwele never wanted his son, Sonny, to become a musician, especially since he was the first child of the family.

“My father never wanted my brother to be a musician because, in those days, the educated ones wanted their children to be lawyers, doctors, or engineers,” she said.

“When my brother, Sonny said he would be a musician, my father kicked against it. Back then, people looked down on musicians, especially when he was the first son of the family.

“It was my grandmother who encouraged him and told my father to let Sonny be.

“She was the one that raised my brother and told my parents to let Sonny be whatever he wants to become.”