The Family Steve Kadiri Left Behind

 

By ‘Biodun Ogundairo

 The news came as a shocker in the early hours of Saturday October 24, 2009 as Ray Power announced the passing of Ace broadcaster, Steve Kadiri popularly known as Steve ‘The Sleek’ Kadiri. The announcement came one week after the death of two other broadcasters, Nicolas Anukanti and Momoh Kubanji

 Steve Kadiri, who first suffered from Renal Failure in 2000,  died of complications arising from the Kidney transplant he did in 2001.  And still, the family of the late artist-DJ-broadcaster can’t but find it hard to believe they have eventually lost him to the cold hands of death.

Despite all the funds, love from fans, friends and family and many years of pain he went through with the hope of surviving, he could not make it even after undergoing about a hundred dialyses sessions since 2001.

 A visit to the family of the late “Sleek” on Sunday November 15, 2009 shows how the family is battling to move on, in the aftermath of their breadwinner’s tragic departure.

Kadiri’s wife of 13 years, Grace, 38, hails from Agenebode and speaks English and Yoruba fluently. About 5ft 8”, light skinned and plus-sized, she spent her early days in Lagos schooling and working before getting married to the late broadcaster.

When NET visited the family on Sunday November 15, Grace had just returned from a thanksgiving service held for the deceased at the family church (God’s Kingdom Society, Shogunle) with her two kids, Stephanie, 13, and Joshua 11. They were all dressed in white traditional apparels.

On Thursday November 12, when Kadiri was buried at Atan Cemetry, in Lagos, it was endless weeping and wailing for Grace and everyone who was there to pay last respects.  But on Sunday, during our visit, the family managed occasional  smiles and banters; even dishing out compliments to a  visiting relative.

The house, Grace House were the wake-keeping was held on Wednesday November 11, 2009 has six flats.  The Kadiris occupy the rear wing. Painted Orange with a touch of yellow, the family moved in from U-Turn, along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway,  seven Months ago. Neatly parked in the compound was the family’s only car, a red Quest ‘space bus’.

Apart from Grace and her kids Joshua and Stephanie, the other occupants of the apartment are  Grace’s younger sister Annabel, 19 and Steve’s cousin Daniel 21(a Computer Engineering student of The University of Lagos).

Under different circumstances, the apartment, a three bedroom flat with a big sitting room which has a dining room extension, looks like a perfect accommodation for a growing family. But today, it looks like the mainframe has collapsed; with everything else battling hard not to give way. A wall picture of the late Steve Kadiri was the only picture in the living room.  A small toy tiger generating set was outside the flat working covered in its own smoke. Entrance into the flat was through the well furnished kitchen.

In a Chat with NET, Grace who has now changed into a yellow T-shirt atop green wrapper says “The family has learnt to move on. We wish nobody in the family suffers the same fate Steve faced’’.

‘‘The kidney problem started when Joshua was Eight Months old”. And it has not been easy since. Sometimes he talks as if he is going somewhere while he was seriously sick. He once told me and since them, I knew he was going. And when he died, most people thought I cried because he died. But no, I cried because of the pains he went through before he died.”

When asked about plans to take care of the kids, she told NE: “Ray power is putting something up for them and then very soon, I will be going back to my business. I have a boutique in Akowonjo that I was running before the death of my husband. With all the stress and pains that I went through taking care of him, now I have serious high blood pressure. The last time I checked it was 100/80 and I still visit hospitals.” 

QUICK KADIRI FACTS

• Home address – House 7, Bolarinwa Street. Omo Oye bus stop, Okerube, Ikotun. Lagos.
• Name of House – Grace House.
• His widow Mrs. Grace Kadiri is 38. She’s about 5ft 8’tall.
• She is a native of Agenebode but spent most of her earlier years in Lagos.
• Steve Kadiri was buried 1.30PM on Thursday November 12, 2009.
• His service of songs and wake keeping was held at the Grace House on November 12, 2009.
• She has a boutique she runs located at Akowonjo road, Egbeda. Lagos.
• Wife stopped working sometime last year when the Kidney problems resurfaced. Plans to get back to work before the end of the year.
• Mrs. Kadiri drives a red quest car, the only family car left behind by her husband.
• The family attends Gods Kingdom Society, Shogunle. Lagos.
• Lived somewhere around Abule Egba in Lagos before moving to their new apartment seven months ago.
• Mrs. Kadiri developed serious high Blood pressure problem since the beginning of the year.
• Her last Blood Pressure Check at the clinic was 100/80.
• Number of Kids – Two
• Names – Joshua (Male) Born October 10, 1998. Stephanie (Female) Born September 6, 1997.
• Both kids Attend Shesfun Comprehensive high school, Okerube.
• Joshua JSS 1 while Stephan J SS 3
• Steve Kadiri’s Kidney problems started when Stephanie was Eight Month old. That was early 1998.
• Joshua’s future ambition: To be a broadcaster.
• Stephan’s future ambition: Medical practitioner. 
• Lives in a big building named Grace House.
• Painted Orange with a touch of yellow with Black gate.
• One story building with four flats.
• Their apartment has three bed rooms, a big sitting room with a dining room attached to the sitting room.