“Asake Outgrew Me”: Former Manager Stevenator Opens Up on Why He Stepped Away
WafricNews | June 2, 2025
LAGOS - Stephen Nana, popularly known as Stevenator, has opened up about the real reason he stepped down as Asake’s manager—saying the star’s meteoric rise simply became too big for him to handle.
LAGOS - Stephen Nana, popularly known as Stevenator, has opened up about the real reason he stepped down as Asake’s manager—saying the star’s meteoric rise simply became too big for him to handle.
In a candid interview, Stevenator, who managed the Afrobeats sensation from 2022 to 2024, revealed that while the journey was fulfilling, the demands of managing a global star eventually overwhelmed him, both professionally and personally.
“Asake became too big for me to manage,” he said. “The pace, the pressure, and the scale of his success—it was massive.”
From Olamide’s Faith to Front-Row Stardom
Stevenator credits his break in the industry to YBNL boss Olamide, who handed him the role despite his lack of formal management experience. What followed was a whirlwind two-year run that saw Asake go from rising act to one of Africa’s biggest exports.
“Managing Asake meant learning on the job—fast. It was a rollercoaster. You had to make big decisions on the fly. Sometimes they were easy, sometimes they were not,” he shared.
But as Asake’s star shot into the stratosphere, Stevenator found himself caught in a battle between career demands and family responsibilities.
“I missed out on family moments,” he admitted. “At one point, I invited my family to London, and my younger son wouldn’t let me carry him. He didn’t even recognize me. That broke me.”
The Price of Stardom
Stevenator says there was no resentment in his decision to step down—just recognition that the scale of Asake’s global appeal required a different kind of support structure.
“You can’t say no to someone like Asake. He’s a mega star now. But in trying to be everywhere with him, I lost myself a bit.”
Despite stepping away, Stevenator continues to build in the music space. He now runs a marketing agency focused on bridging the Nigerian and international music scenes and is currently working with a new artist—this time, with a better work-life balance.
Asake’s Reign Unshaken
While his former manager stepped aside, Asake’s dominance has only grown stronger. With a string of chart-topping singles and critically acclaimed albums like Mr. Money With The Vibe (2022) and Work of Art (2023), the artist is rewriting the playbook on African music success.
His latest release, Lungu Boy, debuted at No. 1 and shattered records with 15 consecutive weeks atop the charts. He also retained his title as Artist of the Year in 2024—marking the third year in a row he's earned the top honour, and making him the first to do so.
And with two Grammy nominations already under his belt, Asake is not just building a career—he’s shaping a legacy.
By WafricNews Desk.
By WafricNews Desk.
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