Tribute: A-100-Day without “Sweet Steve” -By Seye Fakinlede

A.E Houseman’s poem “To an Athlete Dying Young” is literally for me a symbolism for every Nigerian talent that the grave rudely swallowed up, in which Oluwafemi Stephen Sotonwa, is still a fresh wound in the Nigerian broadcast and compere industry.

I personally met Stephen Sotonwa, popularly called “Sweet Steve”  after years of his voice soothing the Nigerian broadcasting bandwidth, particularly in Ondo State, courtesy of Mr. Bamidele Kolawole, who led the interview for the Hope Newspaper’s Friday Extravaganza team.   I believe if Mr. Bamidele, had not extended this benevolence, asking for my company, I may just know Stephen from afar.

We drove down to Shagari village, after a stop at the fueling station, and on arrival at Orange FM, where he worked, we had to wait for few minutes ( he had been coincidentally scheduled for an interview that morning) because he was on air. However, when he came into the waiting arena, where we sat, the dark-skinned man’s apology was one of the simplest forms you should have seen (rumour had it prior that he was a humble man), adding the most amazing smile ever. Then, the long-bitter minutes of waiting for Sweet Steve then turned “sweet”.

And I must say, every moment absolutely became a relish as Stephen Sotonwa, the psychologist turned broadcaster, and compere did not hide words in revealing his journey in the entertainment and broadcast industry, and how he found his foot.

As a compere and comedian, Stephen credited his unique style of comedy to his psychology qualification, which he applied according to him whenever he was on stage, and this he greatly employed during his yearly Lafta Unplug. He told The Hope https://www.thehopenewspaper.com/

I also remember Stephen during the interview session, answering all we threw at him until he echoed” Don’t pant for fame “https://www.thehopenewspaper.com/dont-pant-for-fame/. In fact, that was what the Editor laid as the headline of the Friday Extravaganza 21st June Publication interview section.

Stephen, had no pre-notion of death because his five years envisage (during the interview) showed he was a man full of life, and hopeful for the future, even in contributing his quota in reshaping the entertainment industry. Sadly, I thought, unbeknownst that the wanton boy would find his butterfly “way too early appealing”. And now, all that is left is a gray remains buried six feet below at Imafon, where he now rests in still silences.

His broadcasting career began in 2001, and he had worked at quite a number of stations namely; Kwara State Television Authority in Ilorin , Radio Kwara,  Midland FM, Star FM Lagos, Hot FM In Owerri, BSCS in Ado Ekiti, Progress FM At Ado Ekiti and lastly at Orange FM, Akure.

As we glide slowly to the end of the session, he said “fame is quiet important yet making money from the profession is worthwhile.  Don’t pant for fame, make some money. It is better to be called an unknown billionaire than to be popularly poor. So while you are running on wanting to be on that stage, I want to perform at that gig, I want people to know me, I want to do this, there is someone doing a coded show and he is making his money. So you have got to be smart.”

Amongst the Nigerian comedians, Stephen has his unique way of cracking his audience up telling simple jokes in the English Language. He was known to be passionate about the art and craft of communication in the English Language besides Pidgin which is more or less the official Nigerian Joke Lingua. I believe this made him earned a constant ovation and a referral for cooperate events both the local or international audience, platform, a plus to his career.

Even though the notion of no one is irreplaceable might become true, the higher truth is “no one can ever become Sweet Steve in his uniqueness. Not even for those who were close to him.

December 22, 2019, was a sad day where death shew how cold he was, depriving the world of the sweet soothing personality.  And while he lay low now for 100-days in death, his legacy should never die.