Note: This article is based on public interviews and historical accounts. Where details remain disputed or unverified, they are presented as reported accounts rather than established fact.
Introduction
In the history of Nigerian music, Sonny Okosun stands as one of the most influential figures of the 1970s and 1980s. A pioneer of African pop, a Pan-Africanist, and later an ordained evangelist, his music carried messages of liberation and unity. Yet, behind the public legend lies a private story that has rarely been told in full: his relationship with Stella Monye, a young backup singer in his band, and the daughter they share. This is the untold story of how the late Sonny Okosun fathered a child with his band member, Stella Monye.
Biography of Sonny Okosun
Sonny Okosun was born on January 1, 1947, in Enugu, Nigeria, though some sources list his birthplace as Benin City. His surname is sometimes spelled Okosuns, and his first name Sunny; he was also known as Sunny Okosuns. He spent much of his childhood with his grandmother at Ibore, near Irrua in Edo State, before moving to Enugu to live with his parents. Both of his parents were traditional musicians and church-goers, and he was a chorister at the Holy Ghost Cathedral. He attended St Brigid's School, Asata, Enugu, and later a government trade centre in Enugu, which he left before completing his studies.
He was married to Evangelist Florence Sunny-Okosun for forty years. He died on May 24, 2008, at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. , after battling colon cancer. He was 61 years old.
Biography of Stella Monye
Stella Monye was born on April 28, 1963, at Adeoyo Hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State, to Mr. and Mrs. Christian Onyekama Monye. She is the fourth of eight children—six boys and two girls—and the first daughter. Her mother is from Edo State, and her father, who died about eight years before 2008, was from Delta State.
She attended Jehovah Jireh African Church Primary School, Moshalasi, Surulere, and then Methodist Girls High School. She gained admission to the University of Lagos to study Theatre Arts before moving to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where she graduated. She started her musical career at age 14 and hit fame with her monumental album "Mr. Right" in 1983, which included the hit single "Oko Mi Ye". She had six albums to her credit over more than 24 active years in the music business.
How the Pregnancy Happened
According to Stella Monye's own account, she joined the late Sonny Okosun's band as a backup singer. In a 2009 interview, she stated plainly: "I had my child when I was 17 years old okay. It happened, it happened and one has to go on with one's life. I have not made another mistake since that time because I am now very careful".
She recalled that when her family found out, "all hell was let loose" . Her father, a trade unionist, was initially furious. However, she later confirmed that her father forgave Okosun. She also described how she first approached Okosun to record an album, and they traveled to London together. When they returned to Nigeria, however, there was "rancour between us," and the album was never released. The songs were later transferred to Onyeka Onwenu, who released them in her debut album, "Endless Life".
Their daughter, Ebony Okosun, was born from this relationship. Stella Monye confirmed in 2008: "I have a daughter for Okosuns. Her name is Ebony. She is in her 30s now. She is studying in America". Okosun took up responsibility for Ebony from when she was 8 years old, a quality Stella acknowledged: "That's one good quality that Okosuns had. He takes good care of his children".
Contributions and Achievements of Sonny Okosun
Sonny Okosun was a pioneer of Nigerian pop music, mixing traditional African forms with Western rock elements. He was known as the leader of the Ozzidi band, named after a renowned Ijaw river god; to Okosun, the meaning was "there is a message".
His music was deeply political and Pan-African. From 1977, he became known for protest songs about Pan-Africanism, freedom, and social and political issues affecting Africans. His anthem protesting apartheid in South Africa, "Fire in Soweto" (1977), was his best-known song. Other notable works included "Papa's Land" (1977) , "No More Wars" (1981) , "Mother and Child" (1982) , "Togetherness" (1983) , and "Which Way Nigeria?" (1984).
He released almost 40 albums and achieved global success in the 1970s and 80s. In 1985, he was the lone African artist to contribute to the all-star anti-apartheid album Sun City. His 1994 gospel album "Songs of Praise" reportedly sold nearly half a million copies. He was elected president of the Performing Musicians' Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in 1994. In his later career, he turned to religion, performing as Evangelist Sonny Okosuns.
The Aftermath and Legacy
The relationship between Sonny Okosun and Stella Monye did not end in bitterness. Stella Monye said of Okosun: "We remain best of friends till his death". She described one of her greatest moments with him: when he invited her to open a show at the National Theatre, she was terrified. "But I could hear Sonny backstage saying, 'Don't be afraid, girl. Go on and give it to them.' That moment, I took the microphone and burst out with music. I can never forget that day".
Their daughter, Ebony Okosun, grew up to become a fashion designer based in America. She owned a fashion house called Babu Gee in Ogba, Lagos. In 2012, she gave birth to a baby boy in America, making Stella Monye a grandmother.
Sonny Okosun's wife of forty years, Evangelist Florence Sunny-Okosun, spoke of his many female friends with remarkable grace: "I never felt threatened by his fame because I knew what I was going into when I was going to marry him... I believed that whatever happened to him outside, he would still come back home to me".
Conclusion
The story of Sonny Okosun and Stella Monye is a reminder that legends are human. Their relationship began in the music industry, produced a daughter, and weathered scandal and family disapproval. Yet it also ended in friendship and mutual respect. Stella Monye was only 17 when she had her child for Okosun, and she carried that chapter of her life with dignity. Okosun, for his part, took responsibility for his daughter and remained a friend to her mother until his death in 2008. Their story is not one of scandal alone, but of two people who crossed paths in the world of music and left behind a legacy that lives on in their daughter, Ebony.
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