Chude Jideonwo, a journalist, storyteller, and media entrepreneur, has spent 25 years shaping narratives and amplifying voices. However, this time, the spotlight is on him. In a special episode of #WithChude, legendary newscaster and TV host Cyril Stober sat down with him for an in-depth conversation about his journey, starting from when he got his first job in the media industry at 15.
Chude spoke about how his career began at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and expanded across various media platforms, including print, radio, online, film, and television. Reflecting on his experiences, he recalled working at NTA, MBI, and Channels TV, as well as contributing to publications like TEMPO Magazine, ThisDay, and NEXT.
When asked how he was able to run successful media campaigns for presidential elections in different countries while remaining untainted, Chude responded, “I wouldn’t say I have been untainted because while you are doing it, people associate you with the politician. The difference has been that once I am done, I move on. What excited me was media, and then it became media and politics and how they go together. When I worked for Goodluck Jonathan, I was working directly with Oronto Douglas at that time. That was when I got my first invitation to join government and I said ‘no’ because that wasn’t the joy of it. The joy of it was working on media. When I worked with the Buhari government, I got my first and second offers, but it was never about politics for me, it was about media. And when the principles between both clashed, I left.”
Money was another topic that came up. Chude explained that while he has always been conscious of money, it has never been the only factor in his decisions. He shared how he was working at Virgin Nigeria and left to work with NEXT newspaper, even though they were already owing three months’ salaries. He said, “I tell young people that the lesson is not to choose poverty. Rather, it is that money cannot be the only driver of your decisions, but money is important.”
Balancing life and work was another major reflection. He said, “The work part was a lot of my life because I was so driven, and I started work at 15. I tried to mix it up, but work was 90% of my life, which is part of what my new book is about. So, in my twenties, I had a nervous breakdown because it was just too much pressure, and I had to see a doctor who forced me to go and rest. Even in my resting, I still didn’t rest, I became a secondary school teacher at my alma mater, Mayflower Private School. But that was the best rest I could get. It was because of that experience that I had to structure my life. I later had my first vacation and planned regular vacations. The way I was going, if I had continued that way, I would have had no memories of being a young man.”
He acknowledged that work often gets a bad reputation, though he still loves it. Over time, he has learned to balance it. He does not joke with work, and at the same time, he does not joke with rest, his friends, his family, and his faith. He has found a way to integrate all these aspects into his life.
Looking ahead, his focus is on telling more African stories. “I think where we have missed it is that we have focused on many other things like politics and economics. As a young child, who do you think you are? Do you see your country as a place where great people have worked? Do you see possibilities? I want to be part of that work. I was disciplined for the first five years, I told Nigerian stories. Now, I want to tell multiple African stories in multiple formats in multiple nations.”
Watch the excerpt from the interview with Cyril Stober below.
