‘She’s not our father’s daughter’ – Sunny Okosuns’ family disowns ex-queen, Ethel

The family of late singer Sunny Okosuns has disowned claims by former beauty queen and Nigeria project director, Exquisite Face of Africa, Ethel 'Okosuns'; insisting she is not a daughter to the late singer and legend Sunny Okosuns.

Ethel who was Miss Earth 2005 is known by associates with the surname 'Okosuns' and in September 2013, had granted an interview to Vanguard during which she repeatedly flashed back to memories she held of her 'father' Sunny Okosuns, describing him as a man with a large heart, whom she misses and continues to draw inspiration from.

But the Okosuns family in a statement exclusively made available to Vanguard and signed by the singer's son, Sidney Ehimare Okosuns disowned Ethel.

“We wish to state categorically that Ms. Ethel IS NOT our sibling. She is not the daughter of our father. Our father had four children: Sidney Okosuns, Michael Okosuns, Adesuwa Okosuns and Ebony Okosuns.

This is not the first time Ms. Ethel has ... used our late father's image and likeness as "name dropping" to achieve whatever affluence she seeks. She needs to stop identifying herself as the daughter of the Ozziddi great musician.

Years ago, Ms. Ethel as a teenager wondered into our Yaya Abatan home. Our parents ran a liberal attitude home, welcoming visitors and strangers to our sprawling Ogba Estate. Thus, our home was always busy with people from all walks of life.

Ms. Ethel walked into our home, pleaded with my dad that she wanted to sing and had no other place to live in Lagos. My parents welcome her to our compound, offered her unconditional food, shelter and love.She never left for several years. The generosity and kindness of providing her food and shelter does not give her automatic birth right to the Okosuns.”

Excerpts of Ethel’s interview with Vanguard’s Benjamin Njoku and Opeoluwani Ogunjimi reads…

As the daughter of late Sunny Okusun, one would have expected that you take after your father?

It’s a big family. I’ve always done pageantry all my life. I follow my dream.

You didn’t follow his path?

No, my sister is there, Ebony. She sings very well and gradually she’ll take over.

Do you sometimes miss your father?

Of course I do. He was a tremendous support to me. He was the man with a big heart who loved people and wanted to work with everybody. He wanted to affect lives and that was what I learnt from him. That no matter what you do in life, you must impart on people’s lives. For him, it was about giving back to the society and I miss him greatly. I wish he was here today.

Do you have any spiritual affinity with his songs whenever you listen to them?

I do, because his music encourages me a lot. Like one of his songs, “The Third War in Namibia”, I didn’t understand what he was saying then until I secured admission to study Politics in the university. But we were young then or weren’t even born. But I appreciated his songs and we look forward to unveiling a compilation of his songs very soon.

What’s your family doing as regard to your father’s works?

We are working towards compiling his works. My uncle, Easy Okosun who is on it, has recorded some of his collections under Togetherness in London. He will be returning to Nigeria soon to launch it. So very soon, we’ll be hearing more of Sunny Okosun’s oldies.”

Sidney Okosuns has demanded that Ethel submits herself for DNA testing.

”In these days of scientific proof, we demand that Ms. Ethel submit to a DNA test to prove us otherwise. The Okosuns family would pay for any DNA that would end this fraudulent identity theft. MS ETHEL IS NOT OKOSUNS DAUGHTER.”