Jay Jay Okocha, Obi Mikel reveal how they changed their names
Former Super Eagles Captains Share Origins of Their Names
Former Super Eagles captains Jay Jay Okocha and John Obi Mikel have disclosed the stories behind their well-known names during an appearance on the Obi One Podcast.
Okocha, whose full name is Augustine Azuka Okocha, explained that his nickname originated while he was playing street football. He recalled that the name “Jay Jay” was given to him by his younger brother, James, who is actually the original “Jay Jay.”
“The nickname started in the neighborhood where we grew up,” Okocha said. “We all played football because we didn’t have other toys. My two brothers played as well, and to distinguish between players with the same name, they began calling me Austin Jay Jay’s brother. Eventually, that name stuck.”
He added that when he began traveling, he encountered difficulties with people pronouncing his given name, “Augustine.” As a result, he decided to adopt “Jay Jay” officially, noting, “It’s in my passport now. It’s officially mine.”
Mikel, who originally submitted the name Michael during an Under-17 tournament, described a similar experience. He explained that when the tournament organizers printed the players’ names, they mistakenly printed “Mikel” instead of “Michael.”
“I had a fantastic tournament,” Mikel said. “I thought, ‘You know what? I’m just gonna keep it.’ Of course, I put it in my passport as well.”
Both players have embraced their names, which are now synonymous with their successful careers in football.
