Chude Jideonwo: Five Facts About The Star Blogger

Ynaija.com you know, Red Media you might know, but Chude Jideonwo Born on March 16, 1985, in Lagos, as Ifechukwude Osanedum Jideonwo, you might not know. Considering he is one of the biggest blogging and media personality in the shores of Nigeria, he is a name you ought to have heard. Never late, here are five facts about him.

1. He started at NTA

While it has seemingly become normal to bash NTA, sometimes to the point of ridicule, there is no denying the fact that some of the country’s most celebrated media personalities began their career there. Chude began his career at NTA. He was a researcher for Agatha Amata’s Inside Out with Agatha TV show. Then he worked with New Dawn hosted by Funmi Iyanda rising to the post of associate producer.

Agatha Amata and Fumni Iyanda must have influenced him on the direction of TV shows for Chude got his own show Youth Talk still on NTA. All this happened in the 2000s, the same period Chude co-founded his company Red Media.

Besides NTA, Chude Jideonwo had a show on Channels Television show Rubbin’ Mind.

2. He had nothing to do with MMM Nigeria

After MMM famous crash in 2016, rumour surfaced that MMM Nigeria founder was a certain Chude. Chude Jideonwo is a well-known entrepreneur thus most fingers were pointed at him. He seemed to be the kind of person to pull that off. Chude is not the founder of MMM. The rumour emanated from Social Media and gained credence when mainstream newspaper featured it. The culprit spoken of is Chuddy Anayo Ugorji. A certain Facebook user Somto Monanu called him out:

“Oga Chuddy has finished all una money. According to sources, he is the head admin of MMM; he is the one who brought MMM into Nigeria. He is the one who runs things just as Mark Zuckerberg runs Facebook.”

Poor grammar, weak inference and a mention of “sources”, this has the right ingredient of Social Media trash talk. It nearly ruined Chude’s image. Chuddy, he said, Chude so many people saw. Well, with millions of money drowning, catching straws, most especially popular ones, comes in handy.

While you are here, see: Burna Boy: Why I Won’t Have A Child With Stefflon Don Soon(Opens in a new browser tab)

Chude Jideonwo might have been involved in MMM (very unlikely) but he is certainly not the head admin of MMM Nigeria who allegedly made as much as five billion naira.

3. Chude Jideonwo is an author

Chude is a writer of note. According to Nigeriangalleria.com, the blogger has written or edited more than fifteen publications in Nigeria and elsewhere. He was the copy editor at the famous and defunct NEXT Newspaper, he wrote a column Sons and Daughters, in the Guardian, covering the children of elites.

Chude is not just a writer; he is an author. In 2001 his novel which is said to have been written when he was 13 titled His Father’s Knickers was published with the support of the collaboration of the National Orientation Agency and the French Cultural Centre. His essays were collected in 2014 and published as We are the Turning Point Generation. Chude travelled across Nigeria and abroad, including South Africa, Paris, London and New York pitching his book to his audience. In November 2017, he published under Farafina imprint (as with the previous book) How to Win Elections in Africa taking his analysis largely from the Trump triumph and the Brexit referendum of 2016.

4. He has been the youngest so many times

Chude Jideonwo founded his company in 2004, aged 19. A feat in 2004, a feat today. Heck, people struggle to make their JAMB at 19. Not Chude who might have had seen a glimpse of the greatness his future holds.

Chude goes on to achieve so many feats at his youth age, doing this in most cases as the youngest (then). He was, for one, the youngest copy editor at NEXT Newspaper. He interviewed Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 becoming the youngest journalist to interview a sitting president in Nigeria and, if records tell, in many countries of Africa. In May 2009, Jideonwo was the youngest member of the Ford Foundation Jubilee Transparency Award.

5. He is an international figure

The conquests of Jude exceeds the shores of Nigeria, and Africa even. He was named in Forbes famous 30 under 30: Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs. In 2018, he was one of the eighteen African youths selected for the 2018 Tutu Leadership Programme. He has been a panelist at YGC Africa, the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITEs). He has spoken at events organised by renowned international bodies including the 2010 ICT and Civic Engagement Symposium organised by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society with the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and Harvard University.

Bonus Fact: Chude is unmarried. Time to shoot your shot?