Flag football easier than American football – Chuey Chu

Nigerian media personality, event host, and former civil engineer, Oladotun Ochu, popularly known as Chuey Chu, opens up on his transition from engineering to the media industry, his love for sports, Manchester United, and more in this interview with PETER AKINBO

You’ve mentioned that you transitioned from civil engineering to become a media personality. How did that journey start?

I think from university, actually. When I went to college in America at North Dakota State University, I did a little bit of volunteer radio, and then I was MCing shows. I looked at it and said, you know, if I can MC, it’s just like presenting. So, when I moved back to Nigeria, I tried to just dabble in it. That’s the short story of everything. So, I jumped from being a civil engineer to a media personality, a TV presenter.

Did you engage in sports during your growing up years?

Oh, yeah. I did two sports growing up: track and field, and American football and football. But now, I still do sports. I haven’t run track in a while—I only did it fairly recently when I ran in a race, MTN Champs, when it came to Lagos. And then I play American football, American flag football (those are two different sports, very similar), and I still play football.

Speaking of flag football, it will be making its debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Of both disciplines, which one would you say is easier to learn or adapt to?

Between flag football and American football, I think flag is a lot easier. It’s cheaper to set up, and it’s growing faster across Nigeria than American football. I was actually one of the earliest people to try and push the game of American football in Nigeria—playing in the very first official game in Nigeria in Zaria about a decade ago, and the first West African derby against a team in Ivory Coast as well. Flag football has really grown; men and women are picking it up, and it’s doing amazing.

From civil engineering, you dabbled in media duties, but you clearly have a soft spot for sports. Did your parents influence your decision not to take up sports professionally?

When your parents are paying all that money—even with a scholarship, it’s still expensive to study engineering—and you come from a family of scientists, it’s the typical belief that engineering was a safer path to financial stability and job security. You can’t blame them; every parent wants stability for their kid. My mom used to run, and one reason many people stopped running is that women fear developing muscles and looking hyper-toned. I heard she was pretty good when she was running, so I think I got that athleticism from my mom.

What was your parents’ reaction to your career path?

It was tough, but for my mom it was: look, as long as you’re not doing anything illegal, ride. My dad took a little bit more convincing, but the proof was in the pudding. I was getting results, going everywhere, and people were talking about you without realising it was their son. When I’m not asking for money, I’m taking care of myself—which I’m sure is where every parent’s fear is rooted when you leave a sure banker like engineering. That definitely put their fears to bed.

What is your favourite sports team?

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Manchester United. There can only be one: Manchester United, the Red Devils.

So we take it that football is your most loved sport?

Yes, football is my most loved sport, but these days, it’s crazy how American football is putting up a tough fight right up there for my attention.

What is your favourite part of being a media personality?

Just experiencing different people. One of my slogans as an event host is, “Let’s enjoy the company of one another.”

It’s not something I’m doing by myself; it’s a we thing. Because I’m in different aspects of the media—some days in front of the camera, some days behind—you get to experience being different people throughout the year, working across different industries like agriculture, marketing, or oil and gas. You connect with different sides, learn new things, and appreciate what other people do.

Would you like to invest in sports as an entrepreneur in the future?

Yes, I will. I think currently I am looking to make that investment in sports media and sporting talent, and the way I start is by investing in myself.

Having encountered sportsmen and women, would you encourage your children to take up sports in the future?

Yes, I will. I think there is so much to be done, so many untapped resources we haven’t used as Nigerians. The Americans do it best. If you look at the system they have in school—their university stadiums are bigger than Nigerian stadiums, the fan base is bigger, and from university or high school, you are a star because of the attention. And there’s a system where if you score below a certain GPA, you are dropped from the school team, so you are forced to carry your studies alongside your love for sports. It’s not one or the other, and that’s something we can learn from other countries.

What advice would you give to upcoming and would-be media personalities?

Just be selfish—selfish in the sense of finding a way to see the big picture. The trials and tribulations we go through are really a setup for something greater. It’s ridiculous how we watch Ronaldo or Messi on TV and hype their passion, but we aren’t trying to put in the work they put in. It’s like wanting to be a CEO in the workplace while praying to God for the title without praying for the strength to carry the headache a CEO carries. There are no shortcuts to success, because that road is what builds you up to handle the weight that comes with being in that role.