Journalist, media entrepreneur and activ- ist, IfeChukwude Osanedum Jideonwo is gradually becoming a force within Nigeria, as one of the most influential youth figures in the country. The man behind YNaija, ‘Future Awards, Rubbin minds, YAfrica, and Red media, exudes a vivid passion for the development of Nige- ria, which was more evident as he recently launched his book ‘Are we the Turning Point generation’? Chude, who was re- cently named by Forbes as one of Africa’s young entrepreneurs, shared his success story, new book and other interesting details of his life with G & E’s Olapoju Kolapo.
HAVING BEEN IN THE MEDIA INDUSTRY FOR 14 YEARS, HOW HAS THE JOURNEY BEEN?
Well, I started by accident at the age of 15, but those who went to sec- ondary school with me probably expected that I’d end up as a journalist because of my heavy involvement with the press club. But really, back then, it was just a hobby. Although I was very interested in the media, I sensed that journalism wasn’t going to help me get rich, which was my sole ambition, so I always told myself that after school, I would go into a career that is lucrative. I thought I was going to be an accountant but during my last year in school, my first book ‘My father’s knickers’ got published, which got me sucked into the media industry again. During that period, I met Levi Ajunoma, Agatha Amata, Funmi Iyanda. A few months after Funmi interviewed me on ‘New Dawn’; she called me and offered me a job as a researcher on the program. Over the past 14-years,
it has been a mix-bank, but mostly, it has been fulfilling for Eme because this is what I wanted to do with my life. But there have been challenges, especially because people don’t understand the importance of the work of a journalist and many don’t appreciate the journalist. Even the media own- ers don’t encourage and motivate journalists under their employ. Ultimately, it’s been fun because I’m doing what I love and will keep doing it for a while.
CAN YOU EVALUATE THE GROWTH OF THE MEDIA NOW?
I was back in a government radio station recently and it’s the same way I left it 8-years ago. My career started in NTA and each time I accidentally watch the station, it’s more depressing than the last time. I’m not in a position to criticize, but I feel we can do so much more and we can grab the attention of people with better and more compelling story telling, better production, content and editing. Although, there are quite a few stations like Silverbird, AIT and Chan- nels which has become the most credible source of news in the country, yet, I feel we are not taking advantage of the potentials of the industry.
YOU USED TO HOST RUBBIN MINDS ON ‘CHANNELS’, WHY DID YOU STOP?
It was becoming so difficult to run. I have so much on my plate and I thought it was unfair on the show because I wasn’t able to focus on it. And even though I love TV and presenting, I realized that I was going to use my own hand to kill my own show, so I had to step down and let someone else do it. So we searched for someone who can capture the vision that we have for ‘Rubbin minds’ and enhance it beyond where we left it, and Ebuka Uchendu has done an amazing job since he started anchoring the show. I and Adebola Williams are still the Executive Producers, but I’m very proud of the producer, Seun Oluyemi and Ebuka for the great way they’ve transformed the show. They do an excellent show every week and I’m happy about that.
WHAT WAS YOUR VISION FOR ‘FUTURE AWARDS’ WHEN YOU START- ED IT?
We noticed a gap in the media that target and told the stories of young people, so we wanted to create media platforms that will do that. Back then, there was so much negativity about young people in the media, and there were a lot of young people doing impressive things also, so we came up with ‘future awards’ to report the stories of the young people. We saw an opportunity to take advantage of this gap, fill it, and tell a new story for young people. The future Awards’ basically was a way to change the narrative.
DID YOU ENVISAGE THAT IT WOULD GET THIS BIG AND STRONG- ER?
No, because I don’t allow my dreams to be specific, so I don’t get frustrated. I allow myself the luxury of the possibility that I might fail. In my mind, I wanted it to be so impactful that you cannot talk about young people in the country without talking about ‘Future Awards’. But specifically, how that was going to be, I never envisaged. I’m just grateful that we’re still here and next year will be its 10th year. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve over the years.
WHAT IS BEHIND THE RECENT EXPANSION OF YNAIJA TO YAFRICA?
There is still Ynaija.com, which is for the Nigerian market, and now that we’ve seen that the site and magazine has stabilized, we decided to move on to the continental level, and now we have Yafrica, which is like an African newspaper and the magazine is now YAfrica.
WHAT IS THE ALLURE BEHIND GETTING INTO ACTIVISM?
I didn’t use to like being called an activist because I didn’t set out to be in- volved in activism. Even while in University of Lagos, the only protest I ever joined was the march against the Prof. Ibidapo Obe. That was the only thing I’d ever done, but when I started seeing old people like Prof. Wole Soyinka on the streets rallying for us, I was so ashamed. There is a problem with young people that we are not on the streets protesting. For me, activism is a media driven tool to capture the attention of young people and make it cool for them to demand more of their country and leaders. That’s how the ‘enoughiseno- ugh’ movement started, where we were able to get across to the youths and identify with them.
YOUR BOOK ASKS THE QUESTION; ARE WE THE TURNING POINT GENERATION? REALLY, ARE WE?
I don’t know if we will be the turning point generation. I know that we can be but I don’t know if we have the capacity, intellectual honesty and willingness to make right sacrifices to be. We need to ask ourselves; are we ready to come out and demand changes in our country because if we are not, we deserve the country we have.
WHAT CAN THE YOUTHS DO TO BECOME THE TURNING POINT GENERATION?
Since the history of this generation, majority of us have never seen or experienced a fully functioning country. Ever since we were young, the gen- eral mindset is to steal and pilfer when one gets into government. We were born into a dysfunctional country and that is what we know, which is the main problem. The fact that some of us are even able to protest and speak against bad governance is commendable. However, there is no excuse for not doing anything. We have to move beyond where we are, get more involved and strive to get the Nigeria we want. We need a lot of us who will stay on the problem until it is solved, but I’m not sure if we will find enough of us who are willing, committed and ready to make sacrifices to get a better Nigeria.
WERE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE YOUR
BOOK-LAUNCH GOT?
It was a success by all standards so I’m grateful and thankful for that. But re- ally, I set high goals for myself, so when something good happen, process it and move on with aspirations to do something better. I’m immensely grateful to everyone who came through and supported the launch. I’m particularly happy that the tour is making progress. We’ve been to South-Africa, Abuja, Lagos, and I’m off to London. I’m thankful and honoured, but the work is still plenty, there is still a lot to do.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST TO GO INTO GOVERNANCE AT SOME POINT?
The first problem is that there’s no assurance that I will go there and do dif- ferent than is obtainable. I always ask myself, ‘Chude, are you sure you have something that can withstand whatever it is that changes people when they
get into government’. I don’t want to compromise my values. For example, the fact that the President allowed us use Aso-rock for the last ‘Future awards’, people automatically think I’ll be in the president’s pocket. But that’s not the case, because if Goodluck Jonathan does something wrong tomorrow, and speaking out will make me lose the relationship I have with him, then so be it. So, this phase is just me testing myself, my capacity, values and charac- ter. I’m simply learning and preparing myself at the moment. I might possibly go into government at some point, but I’m not in a hurry to lose my bearing. I still have time.
WHO HAS BEING MOST PIVOTAL TO YOUR RISE?
It is obviously my mother. She has been there from the beginning. She was the one that helped me meet Gina Harry, late Levi Ajunoma and Funmi Iyanda. She spoke at the launch and said she was my first disciple because she believed in me. My mother by far has been the most important person in my life and my most active supporter.
WHO HAS INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST OVER THEY YEARS?
Apart from my parents, I’d say Obi Ezekwesili. She is someone who has supported me in words, deed and sacrifice. I’m also influenced by Tony Elumelu for the visionary way he has moved beyond cre- ating wealth into impacting Africa in a systemic transformational way. I’m inspired by Ngozi Okon- ji Iweala in terms of the height she has gotten to in the industry, and also Pat Utomi, in terms of his clarity of thought in engaging Nigeria’s issue. When I was in school, I was inspired by Dr. Rueben Abati, because of the height he reached as a journalist.
YOU RECENTLY SAID THAT YOU ARE IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP. WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING TO COMMIT FULLY AND GET MARRIED?
Honestly, I don’t know. One can never be ready for marriage, just as you can never be ready for a busi- ness. I am in a serious committed relationship, and I don’t deny that, but I just don’t give details about it. Hopefully, I will settle down sometime soon. I look forward to that time. DEFINE YOUR STYLE? It took me 8-years to find the shoes i like, so for a “I sensed that journalism wasn’t going to help me get rich, which was my sole ambition, so I always told myself that after school, I would go into a career that is lucrative.” long time, i used to wear slippers. Now, I have 10 pairs of the shoe I have on. I believe in convenience and comfort. I admire people, who dress up, like my partner, Adebola Williams, who’s a dresser, but for me, my style is what i’m comfortable in. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR LEISURE? I like spending time indoors as often as possible. I like just lying down and doing nothing. I also spend a lot of time on my I-pad, which my girl- friend always complains about. I also love watch- ing movies a lot. WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE SPOT IN LAGOS? I love Silverbird cinemas in Victoria Island. Lagos. I love the aura and the ambience of the place. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR COMPANY/BUSI- NESSES IN 5-YEARS? I have so much upgrading and expansion to do on my businesses and company. So, in the next half a decade, I hope to be doing the same things I’m do- ing presently, but on a much larger scale. 18 Glam & Essence

DEFINE YOUR STYLE?
It took me 8-years to find the shoes i like, so for a
“I sensed that journalism wasn’t going to help me get rich, which was my sole ambition, so I always told myself that after school, I would go into a career that is lucrative.”
long time, i used to wear slippers. Now, I have 10 pairs of the shoe I have on. I believe in convenience and comfort. I admire people, who dress up, like my partner, Adebola Williams, who’s a dresser, but for me, my style is what i’m comfortable in.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR LEISURE?
I like spending time indoors as often as possible. I like just lying down and doing nothing. I also spend a lot of time on my I-pad, which my girl- friend always complains about. I also love watch- ing movies a lot.
WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE SPOT IN LAGOS?
I love Silverbird cinemas in Victoria Island. Lagos. I love the aura and the ambience of the place.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR COMPANY/BUSI- NESSES
IN 5-YEARS?
I have so much upgrading and expansion to do on my businesses and company. So, in the next half a decade, I hope to be doing the same things I’m do- ing presently, but on a much larger scale.
