Jay Jay Okocha, Obi Mikel reveal how they changed their names

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

Former Super Eagles captains Jay Jay Okocha and John Obi Mikel have shared the unexpected stories behind the names by which they became famous.

The two Nigerian football legends revealed the circumstances surrounding their name changes while featuring on the Obi One Podcast.

Okocha explained that the name Jay Jay originated from his childhood days playing football on the streets with his brothers.

According to him, the nickname was initially used to distinguish him from other family members who shared the name Austin.

He said the nickname later became easier for people to pronounce than his given name, Augustine, particularly after he began travelling outside Nigeria.

Okocha eventually decided to officially adopt the name and had it included in his passport.

Asked how the name became permanent, Okocha said, “Well, I think it started all in the neighbourhood where we grew up. You know, all of us were footballers because we had no other toys. We were just on the street playing.

“And my two brothers played as well, so we had a few Austins. So, to identify which Austin was which, they started calling me Austin Jay Jay’s brother.

“So, from there, Austin Jay Jay stuck. So, when I travelled, some people were struggling to pronounce my name, ‘Augustine’. So, ‘Jay Jay’ was a lot easier. So, I said I might as well adopt the name, and I put it in my passport. Yeah, it’s in my passport now. It’s officially mine.”

Mikel, meanwhile, revealed that his famous surname came about through an error during an Under-17 tournament.

The former Chelsea midfielder said he had submitted Michael as his name, but when the players’ shirts were printed, the name Mikel appeared instead.

After enjoying an impressive tournament, Mikel decided to retain the altered name, eventually making it official by changing it on his passport.

He added, “That’s like me as well. I changed my name. You remember the story? At the Under-17 tournament, when they went to print the names, I gave them Michael. They came back with Mikel, and Mikel sounds better than Michael.

“I had a fantastic tournament. I was like, you know what? I’m just gonna keep it. Of course, I put it in my passport as well.”

The revelations offered a glimpse into the personal stories behind the names that have since become synonymous with two of Nigeria’s most celebrated footballers.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.