When Steven first appeared on the local scene as a sculptor in the mid to late 90's, here at 7news we were the first to put him in prime time.
Since then, we've faithfully followed many of his moves, from a plastic mulching machine, to authoring multiple books, to opening a juice store - and there are so much more.
But, lately, we've been paying less attention to his political ambitions. Okeke says he wants to be the independent Mayor Of Belize City, but like so many of his other ventures, it has turned into a tale of persecution and rejection.
Well, now it's gone one crazy step further; he today told us that his workers have had to quit en-masse because they're all being threatened.
Jules Vasquez spoke to him about it - but we'll warn you that the wear of the years showed in his interview with Okeke which - we'll concede went from journalism to argumentation. With that disclaimer, here it is:..
Steven Okeke
"Because most of the workers decided that they won't work again. They showed me the message they got yesterday and throughout the weekend and most of them got 4 phone calls emphasizing to that that they can't keep working here or they will get kill."
Jules Vasquez
"But Steven at some point this story does not add up because who knows all your workers phone numbers?"
Steven Okeke
"I don't know, you have to find that out. You are an investigative journalist, you find that out. You can call the phone company and ask them if they give you this person number; it's possible."
"Some of them came here to give the key to the shop and so one of them has been able to go to the police station to make a formal report and the police are saying they can't do very much because the number is restricted. But in my case I am saying I don't have the political machinery, I don't have the money."
Jules Vasquez
"You told me they got texted and calls too Steven."
Steven Okeke
"I said calls."
Jules Vasquez
"Maybe your workers just are tired of you or want a holiday week break and they all just made up a story."
Steven Okeke
"No, not 6-7 workers making the same story. These are people I trust. I know the kind of story they can make, nit this type."
Jules Vasquez
"You all these people phone numbers?"
Steven Okeke
"I should have their phone numbers with me because I have it on my phone in case I need to call them to give instructions. These are people who are committed to the work, who need the job. Nobody will just walk away from a job in this hard time."
Jules Vasquez
"But who text all these numbers? That's my point."
Steven Okeke
"You are an investigative journalist, you find out."
Jules Vasquez
"I cannot investigate the impossible."
Steven Okeke
"So why would you want me to find out?"
Jules Vasquez
"My workers for example are public people. I can assure there is no more than 5 people in this entire society who have all my journalists numbers including mine."
Steven Okeke
"Somebody could say 'I have an important message for Jules please' and get it from your workers."
Jules Vasquez
"But then you are talking about a vast and elaborate precise criminal conspiracy."
Steven Okeke
"Maybe there is something they are looking for that I have. Perhaps I don't know because I don't know."
Jules Vasquez
"You don't have anything Steven."
Steven Okeke
"They have the political machinery, they have the money."
Jules Vasquez
"So you feel it's the UDP doing it?"
Steven Okeke
"I didn't say so."
Jules Vasquez
"Then who is it? You said political machinery. Only two people in Belize have that; PUP and UDP."
Steven Okeke
"So why not leave me alone. Why shouldn't leave the business alone, leave the workers alone whoever it is?"
Jules Vasquez
"How do you view the cynical interpretation that maybe you had over extended and you couldn't keep all of them open anyway, so you just send everybody home."
Steven Okeke
"I know how to do better than that, I am smarter than that. I've been in business for almost 24 years. I can do better than that."
Jules Vasquez
"I have never heard just as vast criminal conspiracy in all my years. Why would you? You are inconsequential."
Steven Okeke
"Maybe I am doing something that you haven't done, perhaps."
Jules Vasquez
"What are you doing?"
Steven Okeke
"I am saying I don't have the political machinery, I don't have the money."
Jules Vasquez
"And you will lose."
Steven Okeke
"So leave me alone, why are you troubling me?"
Jules Vasquez
"Yes but nobody is troubling you."
Steven Okeke
"Oh…nobody is troubling you? You are saying again that this threat these workers are getting is by your creation. You created them?"
Jules Vasquez
"You created them."
Steven Okeke
"I did not, so it must be you if you say it's no one else."
Jules Vasquez
"But you realize even in the toughest competitive sectors this has never happen. That nobody's workers have resign in mass or had to been force to stop in mass because of threats. This has never happened. I don't know of anybody competing with you for carrot juice."
Steven Okeke
"This is not carrot juice."
Jules Vasquez
"There is competition in every sector."
Steven Okeke
"This not about juice."
Jules Vasquez
"You are selling juice."
Steven Okeke
"This is about politics."
Jules Vasquez
"Well then PUP is the biggest threat, why don't they threaten them."
Steven Okeke
"Well people have their priorities."
Jules Vasquez
"But why would you be a priority Steven? It doesn't add up."
Steven Okeke
"Your perception PUP is the biggest threat is somebody else's perception it may not be."
Jules Vasquez
"That you may be the biggest threat?"
Steven Okeke
"Your interpretation of reality may not be another person's interpretation on reality."
Jules Vasquez
"But another person's interpretation of reality which would put you as the biggest would be a crazy interpretation of reality because you are a political non-factor."
Steven Okeke
"Because, you are looking at life from the historical end. Look at life from the future end."
Okeke says he intends to keep his main outlet on Cemetery road operational - no matter what the threat.
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