“We need God more than ever before now in all spheres of life” - Nigerian pro wrestling legend Sunny Wonder

Interview with the former President of the Nigeria Pro Wrestling Federation (NPWF), who later became the Nigerian national and African Light Heavyweight Champion and title holder in the 90’s and since the early 2000 he has been based in Dallas, Texas in the USA. He is ‘’Sunny Wonder’’ who has his real name as Sunday Oluwayemi and who reigned supreme in the late 80s and 90s in Nigeria and Africa.

Sunny Wonder

Can you please tell our readers your real name and ring name sir.

My names are Sunday Oluwayemi, known around the professional wrestling world as Sunny Wonder.

How did you come about your ring name?

My real name is Sunday as I was born on a Sunday. I figured it out. I was a wonderful wrestler since the inception of my career in 1985 when I turned professional.

You are a pro wrestling superstar for many years as a national and an African light heavyweight warlord. How did you come to the decision to be a pro wrestler?

I was inspired by talents like Dusty Rhodes, Sunny King and Dick the Bulldog Brower who were the rave of the moment then. Kally Agogo and Big Jim Obot also contributed to my being a pro wresting talent as they were my trainers in amateur wrestling and since they were also into pro wrestling, turning me to a pro-wrestling talent was not a problem or big deal for them.

Sunny Wonder with Olusesan Olukoya and Iron Fineface in 1992 at the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos, Nigeria

How was your start in wrestling and where did you start from?

I started as an amateur wrestler with Ondo State in 1980 before competing for Lagos state then. I started with Freestyle and Greco Roman competing around the nation within my five years experience as an amateur talent.

From Nigeria to the USA. How did it happen?

I never planned to travel and stay abroad. I was in Cauliflower, Las Vegas in the year 2001, I came back to Nigeria after the event. I later went back to the USA after 3 years and the rest is history now.

All Star Wrestling Club: Olusesan Olukoya, secretary, Former president Sunday Oluwayemi (Sunny Wonder), incumbent president, Kally Agogo (Black Jagu) with the first vice president, Moses Onah (Delta Warrior) in 2012.

Which were your major fights that you can never forget easily? At where and when?

I had diverse experience while competing nationally and continentally but I can never forget the match against Cousin Luke of USA during the PowerJam ’93 in Lagos and in Ibadan as I competed with him twice. I gave him a tough time as a competent wrestler but he had the weight advantage which he used at the two events. Anyway, they have been tough here and there.

Were you accepted back home by the family members when they got to know you are a wrestler?

I was accepted initially, as a building engineer who was always coming home with money, but that stopped when I started wrestling which I face squarely. It was not accepted initially but they had a change of mind when they started seeing me on television regularly.

You reigned as national and African champion for close to a decade. How did it happened?

Whatever one is doing in life, concentration matters most. You don’t have to be distracted along the line. Most youths want to be involved in many things at the same time. Determination and staying focused helped us then when we started.

Delta Warrior, Sunny Wonder and Olusesan Olukoya at the residence of Sunny Wonder

Sunny Wonder, can you please list your contemporaries when you started pro wrestling?

I can mention Kenice Adumekwe, Big Jim Obot though I met him in the sport, Iron Fineface, Kally Agogo was my great mentor who I learnt a lot from during my amateur and even my active pro wrestling days. May the souls of Kally Agogo and that of Big Jim Obot rest in peace. In fact, I was always seeking their advice then and with open hands, they were always there for me.

Which was your most memorable match?

I have had many bouts that it has become a hard assignment to say this is the most memorable or a major fight but then, I can still vividly remember few of the most memorable fights. The one that came to mind now of course was in 1992 when I won the African Light heavyweight wrestling championship in a fight against Python of Congo DRC at the National Stadium Indoor Sports Hall, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. It was awesome becoming an African professional wrestling in front of my people. All glory to the Lord.

Have you competed in an international fight before back home?

I was one of the four Nigerian wrestlers that participated in the PowerJam 93 pro wrestling championship sponsored by 7Up Bottling Company which was led by Gentleman Chris Adams, in company of his wife Toni Adams, which featured former WWF stars like “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, Greg Valentine, Demolition Ax, The Iron Sheik, and World Class wrestler/owner Kevin Von Erich among others like Cousin Luke. It was a tour-de-force as we were in 8 Nigerian states then. An awesome championship.

Can you list some promoters who were the happening promoters when you were active?

We knew them then to be sincere unlike now. Rola International Promotions, Franco Promotions, Salawu Malik Promotions, Niyi Cool Promotions from Akure, Ondo State, Joneb Promotions, and many more. We had a nice time touring the Nigerian nation then as well as some West African nations. How I wish we can still have such time again but I doubt it.

Olusesan Olukoya with Gentleman Chris Adams in Lagos in April 1993 during the PowerJam 1993.

You competed as tag team for a while. Who were your tag team partners then?

I tagged with Captain Killer and Banilux Bulldog as the Bulls against Iron Brothers of Iron Saigun, Iron Bone and Iron Fineface. I was awesome then. I think I can say professional wrestling was golden then.

Where do you see Nigerian pro wrestling in the next five years?

We are going nowhere if we continue the way we are now. Truthfulness is the major challenge. Trust was our hallmark when we were at the helm of affairs as the NPWF executives and I think that it is missing from the happenings now. We need to go back to the drawing board and get it right. Selfish interest is the other issue of the day. Building for the future should be our yardstick so as to have a legacy for the coming generation.

What advice do you have for intending wrestlers and upcoming talents in our part of the world?

We wrestled with the Devil then but time has changed the tide now. God is the ultimate. Wrestlers need God on their side more than ever before. One can not achieve anything on his own outside God. Upcoming wrestlers have to be trustworthy. Put their total being in God and keep trusting in Him. It is not the day you become a wrestler that you will become the national champion. It takes time. With God on their sides, with vision and mission and dreaming big, success abounds. Upcoming talents should know that money is not the all in all. Greediness is a major challenge. Some of our leaders don’t need the money they are acquiring but they are using the office to enrich themselves.

We know you still have lots of fans worldwide. What do you have to say to your fans?

To my fans within and without, you are all well appreciated. Thank you for supporting us through the years. Without you, we are nobody. You are the life wife encouraging us to forge ahead. We can not thank you enough. Since thanks and God bless.

Olusesan Olukoya, left, and Sunny Wonder