Nigerian Bloggers

Full Name: Ifechukwude Osanedum Jideonwo.
Date of Birth: 16 March 1985.
Nationality: Nigerian
Occupation(s): Blogger, Writer, Journalist.
Years active: 2009 – present.
Twitter: @chude
Website: ynaija.com


Chude Jideonwo (born 16 March 1985) is a Nigerian lawyer, award-winning journalist and media entrepreneur. For a decade now, he has garnered key experience in all forms of traditional and new media, and has translated that practical experience into successful media campaigns; he is also recognised as a leading expert on New/Social Media and Youth Lifestyles.
Above all, he has worked as an expert in development across the continent, mostly with The Future Project, which is focused on inspiring leadership, building entrepreneurs and innovative use of the media (traditional and new) tool for sustained social change, and which has reached millions of Nigerians, especially young people, in about 5 years.

Education
Jideonwo was born in Lagos to Mr. Ifeanyi I. Jideonwo and Mrs. Ngozi A. Jideonwo, where he had his education at K. Kotun Memorial Primary School, Adebola Baptist High School and the famed Mayflower School, Ikenne, set up by Tai Solarin.

After that, he studied Law at the University of Lagos, emerging as the Best Student in Land Law. Thereafter, he was called to the Nigerian Bar in November 2007.
He concluded a Master’s programme in Media and Communication at the prestigious Pan-African University, Lagos.


Career
Chude began his career as a TV presenter on the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA[3] between 2000–2005, then worked as a researcher with Celebrating Jesus (MBI) and Inside Out with Agatha, a TV show syndicated across the country. He was also with New Dawn, which showed on the NTA Network, for three years, rising to become Associate Producer as well as heading the Special Projects division. His credits as writer, assistant director, and host include The Academy, Patito’s Gang, Video 10, Big Brother Nigeria in 2006 and Moments with Mo (MNet) a year after.

At a time, he was host of Rubbin’ Minds talkshow on Channels Television and frequently moonlights as an events compere.
While working at New Dawn with Funmi Iyanda, he met his future partners, who both had a show on NTA Network called Youth Talk. In the course of work, they met and decided to form a company focused on using the media as an active tool to inspire and drive young people to action. This was in 2004. RedSTRAT, the product of this alliance, was registered formally the next year.

Print
He has written and edited over fifteen publications within and outside the country. He joined the defunct NEXT Newspapers, brainchild of Pulitzer Prize winner, Dele Olojede as Copy Editor in July 2009, the youngest in that position, from where he became a member of the paper’s editorial board.

Chude ran a column, Sons and Daughters, for three years in the Sunday edition of The Guardian, profiling children of the rich and famous.Are We The Turning Point Generation (2014)

On 25 May 2014, his collection of essays, rhetorically titled Are We The Turning Point Generation was launched in Lagos.Entrepreneurship
At present, Chude is co-founder and Managing Partner of Red Media Africa/The Future Project, a full service media-content, communication and development company that has worked for several national and international brands. The firm also owns The Future Nigeria Awards, reputed as Nigeria’s biggest youth event.

He became editor of Y!/YNaija! in July 2010.Social Advocacy and Public Speaking

Chude also founded EnoughisEnough Nigeria, one of the country’s foremost civic participation groups, which has received funding from the Omidyar Network and the MacArthur Foundation. It distinguished itself in the 2011 Nigerian elections, working with civil society leaders as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He chairs the Public Relations & Communications Committee, and in that position has secured buy-in from national and international media including CNN, BBC, Radio France, Reuters, The Associated Press, amongst others. The organisation was also a driver for Nigeria’s first ever youth-centred presidential debate in March 2011.

A public speaker, he has motivated youth across the country and beyond. He has been Project Defense Panelist/Judge for several organisations including the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS), YGC Africa, amongst others, and has spoken at events, schools, churches, seminars and conferences including the recent 2010 ICT and Civic Engagement Symposium organised by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society in conjunction with Harvard University and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. He sits on several boards including the One Percent Project and the Oando Foundation.Achievements and awards

In 2011, he distinguished himself as the youngest journalist ever to interview a sitting Nigerian president; securing an exclusive sit-down with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Also known as a book reviewer, his novel, His Father’s Knickers, written when he was 13, was launched in 2001 in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency and the French Cultural Centre.

As a communications professional, Chude was appointed Publicist for Bank PHB’s The Apprentice Africa in 2007, and served briefly in the External Relations department of the Nigeria LNG, before moving to Virgin Nigeria Airways, as Asst. Manager, Media Relations in 2008; the youngest in a managerial position.

Chude is also youngest recipient of the Nigeria Media Merit Award, winning for Entertainment Journalist of the Year. Other awards and nominations include the Olive Award for Media and Production, the Green Yaggy Achievement Award, the Sowambe Awards as Best Social Media Activist, Just U Award, Dynamix Awards, the Life Changers Award for Best Advocacy Campaign of the Year, and the Inside Out Role Model Award.

In 2007, he was selected as one of 101 Young African Leaders by the African Business Forum; in 2009, he was selected for the US Government’s International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) and in the same year was invited as a youth expert to the ‘Strategy Review and Consultative Workshop’ with youth leaders on the African Union Development Youth Corps Initiative.

In May 2010, he was selected for the Nigeria Leadership Initiative’s Future Leaders Fellowship. NLI is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Same year, he was also invited by the African Union as a youth expert to facilitate sessions of the Youth and Shared Values Summit.

He was invited as an Expert in February 2011 by the Ford Foundation on its forum on Social Media for Change; in March 2011, he was invited as Facilitator and Media Expert to the Right to Health Summit of the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC) and same month he was invited to speak at the Bayelsa Book and Craft Fair as well as alongside Twitter co-creator Dom Sagallo and Blog Director of President Barack Obama’s campaign, Sam Graham-Felsen, at the 1st Youth-Marketer Converge Conference in Lagos, Nigeria.

He was, in May 2012, appointed the youngest member of the awards committee for the Ford Foundation Jubilee Transparency Award, alongside distinguished Nigerians like Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte and Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah[8] and in July was appointed into the British Council’s Steering Group for its Creative Industries Expo.

Nigeria’s foremost daily, The Punch listed Chude alongside thirteen others, as one of the young people to watch in 2012.
Also, in 2012, BusinessDay included him and his business partner, Adebola Williams, in a 40 under 40 list,.
In February 2013, both Jideonwo and Williams were named in Forbes 30 Under 30: Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs.

Controversies

In 2011, Nigeria’s Senate passed the Anti-Same-Sex Marriage Bill, prescribing 14 years imprisonment for offenders, and outlawing public show of affection, in any form, between members of the same sex.

Chude’s piece against the bill, annoyed sections of the Nigerian public, who argued that homosexuality was against Nigerian culture.