Stephen Nana, former manager of Afrobeats sensation Asake, discusses the pressures of managing a rapidly rising star and the personal toll it took on his family life.
In a candid interview, Stephen Nana, popularly known as Stevenator, shared the reasons behind his decision to part ways with Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake.
Speaking with UpgradeTV, Stevenator revealed that Asake’s swift rise to fame made it increasingly difficult to manage his career, especially while trying to maintain a balance with his personal life.
“I never met Asake before. I don’t know anything about him and I have never heard his song before.
” And I cannot learn the job on the job. Asake blew up so quickly that there was no time to learn the job, so it was back to back,” Stevenator explained.
The demands of managing a global star took a significant toll on Stevenator’s personal life.
As a family man with two sons, he found it challenging to stay connected with his children while constantly on the road.
He shared a poignant moment when his second son refused to let him carry him during a visit to London, highlighting the emotional distance that had developed.
“Sometimes we are on the road for four to five months. I’m always on my phone with my kids. So I asked them to come to London and my second son refused me to carry him because he doesn’t know me,” he said.
Recognizing the strain on his family life, Stevenator made the difficult decision to step down from his role as Asake’s manager.
“For me to be able to balance my work and family, I have to step down. Asake became way too big that I have to be following him everywhere he goes. So, I’m now a family man, and I love my wife,” he concluded.
Asake, born Ahmed Ololade, has experienced a meteoric rise in the music industry, with multiple chart-topping albums and international acclaim.
His success story underscores the intense demands placed on artists and their management teams, often leading to personal sacrifices behind the scenes.
