Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is a well-known Nigerian TV personality and host, who is partly popular for his impeccable dress sense and ability to pull off some of the most daring and revolutionary fashion styles. In this biography about Ebuka, we will provide insight into his life.
This biography will provide facts about Ebuka and will follow a chronological order, where applicable, to make following it easier for readers. Most of your questions about Ebuka Obi-Uchendu will be answered in this article.
To get started, we have compiled a list of some of the most important facts about the celebrity. This list is put together by checking the most popular Google searches about Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.
10 important facts about Ebuka Obi-Uchendu
- Ebuka was born on 14th July 1982 in Benin City, Edo State, he is 38 years old.
- He studied law and graduated from the University of Abuja in 2004. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2005 after he completed the Nigerian Law School.
- In 2010, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu obtained a master of laws degree from the Washington College of Law of the American University Washington DC.
- Ebuka Obi-Uchendu was among the 14 contestants that competed in 2006, first-ever edition of Big Brother Naija when it was called Big Brother Nigeria.
- After his eviction from the show, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu got endorsement deals from GLO and Guinness. He also got deals to host shows like GLO Show and Guinness’ Greatness TV.
- Ebuka has been the host of Big Brother Naija since season 2. The show recently completed season 5.
- He also hosts shows like Rubbin’ Minds (2013), The Spot (2013), Naija Politics (2014), and Men’s Corner (2016), and Judging Matters (2020).
- Ebuka Obi-Uchendu married Cynthia Obianodo in 2016 and they have two children.
- He was nominated as Outstanding TV Presenter of the Year (Male) at the Nigerian Broadcaster’s Merit Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
- Ebuka hosted the first-ever Nigerian presidential debate in 2011.
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Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Biography: Early life and education
The celebrity TV personality and host of several widely watched television programmes, Ebuka, was born on 14th July 1982 in Benin City, Edo State. However, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is Igbo and he is an indigene of Okija, a town in Anambra State.
His father worked as a banker during Ebuka’s growing years while his mother was a nurse. He was born as the third of four children in his family. Ebuka partly grew up in Benin City where he attended both nursery and primary school. After he wrote his Common Entrance Examination and passed while still in primary four, as opposed to waiting until he was in primary five or primary six, his family moved to Abuja.
In Abuja, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu commenced secondary school education at Christ The King College, a popular secondary school in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. He eventually graduated from the school in 1997, at the age of 15.
Ebuka got admission into the University of Abuja where he studied law and graduated in 2004. After that, he went on to the Nigerian Law School in Abuja, as is customary for most law graduates in Nigeria He completed his law school in 2005 and was called to the Nigerian bar that same year.
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu took a break from pursuing education but returned to the four walls of a school in 2010. He got admitted into the Washington College of Law of the American University Washington DC. There, he obtained a master of laws degree. He specialised in intellectual property and communications law.
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Biography: Early career
While Ebuka was armed with what many would call an enviable degree that would have likely allowed him to succeed in the corporate world, his sight was set on the entertainment business. His first sojourn into the industry was via the now popular Big Brother Naija reality show.
Big Brother Nigeria (2006)
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu was among the 14 contestants that were chosen to compete in the maiden edition of the Big Brother Nigeria, now known as Big Brother Naija (BBNaija), which was held in 2006. The edition also happened to be the only edition, so far, that aired on M-Net DStv.
He entered the Big Brother Nigeria House at the age of 23 and was a fans’ favourite at the time with many believing he would win the reality show. However, Ebuka became the seventh housemate to be evicted from the show on the 57th day. The edition went on to last for 92 days with Katung Aduwak emerging as the eventual winner of the grand prize.
Yet, after leaving the show, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu became a hot commodity in the brand industry. According to his Wikipedia page, a major telecommunications brand Globacom, also known as Glo, signed him as an ambassador. Also, a brewery brand Guinness signed him after the show. He hosted TV shows like the GLO Show on NTA, Guinness TV and also got a gig to run the Friend or Foe program on NTA.
Besides, he also wrote a weekly column for THISDAY newspaper, a major Nigerian news outlet, for over four years. As part of his writing resume, it is also worth mentioning that Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has contributed to several other written media outlets.
For example, he was a contributor for YNaija, an online platform, writing their youth-oriented Y! FrontPage. Also, he wrote lifestyle pieces for 360Nobs, contributed to Breaking Times as well as Style Vitae, in the fashion segment.
Thus, it is not out of place to say that Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is actually an accomplished writer in his own right. But, what many people know him for is the masterful way he handles hosting duties. We will chronologically look at some of them.
Nigeria’s first presidential debate (2011)
On Friday, 18th March 2011, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu co-hosted the first-ever Nigerian presidential debate with prolific writer, Chimamanda Adichie. The Tony Elumelu Foundation sponsored the event that was aired on NN24 and other channels on DStv. The debate was focused on the youths and themed, What About Us?
According to NN24, the participating presidential candidates would be President Goodluck Jonathan (People’s Democratic Party); Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (Action Congress of Nigeria); Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Congress for Progressive Change); and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau (All Nigeria Peoples Party). However, in the end, only Nuhu Ribadu, Ibrahim Shekarau and Dele Momodu of the National Conscience Party (NCP) showed up.
This pace-setting moderator role further catapulted Ebuka as one of the most sought-after TV personalities and hosts in the country.
Rubbin’ Minds (2013)
In 2013, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu became the new host of Channels TV’s bi-weekly talk-show, Rubbin’ Minds. The show focuses on young people and discusses various topics like trends, entertainment and even hard topics like politics. On the show, Ebuka has hosted people like Banky W., Gbenga Sesan, Seun Kuti, Oluchi Onweagba, Davido, Japheth J. Omojuwa, Chika Unigwe and more.
The Spot (2013)
Also, in 2013, Ebuka began co-hosting EbonyLife TV’s The Spot along with Lamide Akintobi and Zainab Balogun. The Spot is a weekly show that airs in about 48 African countries. It touches on different topics ranging from fun, entertainment and other quirky topics.
Naija Politics (2014)
In 2014, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu became the co-host of EbonyLife TV’s Naija Politics along with Arit Okpo. As the name suggests, it was a chat show that invites new members of the public to join a panel to talk about politics in Nigeria. EbonyLife TV airs the show weekly.
Men’s Corner (2016)
Men’s Corner is an EbonyLife TV talk show that is co-hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Andre Blaze and Mazino. It is a forum where men discuss some of the most intimate, revealing and controversial issues in society.
Big Brother Naija Season 2: See Gobe (2017)
After 11 years of absence, Big Brother Nigeria, now rebranded Big Brother Naija, or stylised as BBNaija, returned to the screens. Africa Magic became the official sponsors of the show from then on. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu was named the host of the show and it was the first time he was hosting a reality show of such scale.
It served as a testing ground for him to perfect his art, act and craft. He weaned his poker face skills during the show and also, trademarked the art of appearing in magnificently crafted outfits. Not long after, it became a thing for him to appear as a host in attires that steal most of the attention.
Big Brother Naija Season 3: Double Wahala (2018)
For the second consecutive season of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show, Ebuka was named the host. While fans of the show already know what to expect from him, he still managed to make headlines for his outfit choices after every Sunday eviction show.
Ebuka also became more insightful in the way he revealed what transpired in the house during the week. He soon got the tag ‘table shaker’ for this.
Big Brother Naija Season 4: Pepper Dem (2019)
Ebuka remained the best choice to host the fourth Big Brother Naija edition. He was already a famous face of the show and he was fast becoming one of the most popular faces in the TV presenter industry.
Big Brother Naija Season 5: Lockdown (2020)
Despite the pandemic that ravaged most of 2020, the organisers of Big Brother Naija still managed to hold the show. They retained Ebuka Obi-Uchendu as the host of the widely watched reality TV show.
Judging Matters (2020)
On 27th April 2020, a new reality TV show, Judging Matters began airing on Africa Magic Showcase channel 151. The show treats both small and big conflicts in its reality show ‘chambers’. Retired Lagos State Judge, Justice Olusola Williams and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu oversee the judgment. With his background in Law, it is no surprise that the show is really going well.
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Black Box Interview (2020)
Ebuka started a show online called Black Box Interview, which airs on Bounce Radio Live. The show is a series of interviews with well-known celebrities. On 30th September 2020, the first part of his interview with Nigerian singer David Adeleke or Davido aired. As of the time of writing, there have been three parts of the interview aired on Bounce Radio Live YouTube Channel.
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Biography: Other major events hosted or co-hosted
Besides the events, shows and programmes that we mentioned above, there are also several other major events that Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has served as either a host or a co-host. We will be mentioning some of the most notable ones here.
In 2020, Ebuka and radio personality, television host, and vlogger Toke Makinwa hosted the red carpet at the 7th edition of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
He co-hosted United Bank Of Africa at 70 CEO Awards 2019, a major corporate event in Africa, with Bolanle Olukanmi.
Ebuka and actress Lala Akindoju co-hosted the 43rd Miss Nigeria Pageantry in November 2019.
He had also been one of the Miss Nigeria 2017 hosts according to Nairaland. His many exploits on stage and behind the TV screen have earned him well-deserved recognition.
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Biography: Awards and recognitions
First, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has, without a doubt, become one of the most popular faces in Nigeria. On social media, he has a huge following, over 2.5 million followers on Instagram and 1.5 million Twitter as at the time of writing. No wonder, a new social media influencer parameter, Social Cred ranks him as ‘Big Shot’.
It is not just that, Ebuka has been getting recognition for his hard work for a long time. In 2007 and 2008, he was nominated at The Future Awards as an On-Air Personality. The World Economic Forum selected him as a Global Shaper in 2011.
He was also nominated for Outstanding TV Presenter of the Year (Male) at the Nigerian Broadcaster’s Merit Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu won the award in 2015 for the show, Rubbin’ Minds. At the NET Honours 2019, he was recognised as the Most Searched Media Personality.
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Biography: Net worth
Many people have been asking what is Ebuka Obi-Uchendu net worth? According to The 360 Report, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is allegedly worth $1.2 million. However, we are not certain of this figure because the source does not reveal how it came up with it.
However, we know that Ebuka makes most of his money from the various host duties he carries out as well as the shows he runs and other TV presenter gigs. Besides the early endorsement deals he won after leaving the Big Brother Naija House, Ebuka also has other recent brand deals.
In 2015, the global tech brand Intel unveiled Ebuka Obi-Uchendu as an ambassador of the company. He landed a deal with the agriculture tech company PorkMoney in 2018. Also, he had a deal as a brand ambassador for Manor Gates, a real estate company.
He was also a brand ambassador to a water company called H2oh, he landed the deal with actress Adesua Etomi. Budweiser announced him as an ambassador in 2019. Ebuka once had a deal as brand ambassador for Gulder in 2015.
All these deals and many more that were not included points to the fact that Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is wealthy. When we have a verified figure for his net worth, we will update this section.
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu Biography: Personal life
In April 2015, Ebuka and Cynthia Obianodo, a big-time HR manager in Lagos announced their engagement. The couple officially signed marital papers in Abuja in February 2016. According to Woman.ng, the wedding was ‘exquisite and elegant’.
By November 2016, Ebuka and Cynthia Obi-Uchendu announced that they have welcomed a daughter together. In April 2019, they welcomed their second daughter. The couple is still very much in love and trade comments about each other on social media.
See also: ‘My daughter speaks 4 languages at 3’ – Ebuka Obi-Uchendu brags
In October 2020, they celebrated their fifth traditional marriage anniversary. Ebuka shared a picture of him and his wife from their traditional wedding ceremony on his Instagram page, writing: “Five years today since I slurped your tasty palm wine and you ate up my kola nut. Happy tradiversary baby.”
Cynthia also celebrated their anniversary. She wrote on her Instagram page: “It’s been 5 years married to this tall glass of chocolate! Thank you for the most beautiful years, Happy tradiversary boo.”
Controversy
During the 2018 edition of the Big Brother Naija reality show, some fans of the show accused the organisers of favouritism towards a particular housemate, Cynthia Nwadiora, or Cee-C as many call her. Additionally, some even alleged that Ebuka and Cee-C were in a relationship.
After the edition ended, Cee-C took to her Instagram page to address the issue. She writes: “Like I said in the house I met Ebuka at an event he hosted, Yo!!! the fact that you meet somebody doesn’t mean that the person has to remember you.
“Ebuka is HUuuuGE in this industry and probably meets over 100,000 people a week, so therefore he has every right to say he has not met ME. What I said in the house was from the view of someone who does not understand the industry. Guys I have met and had conservations with a lot of people this week, that would as well say they have met me this week too and I can’t even remember.”
Also, Ebuka cleared the air in an interview where he explains: “She said something in the house that got mixed interpreted. She said she drove to my house and we had a conversation that made me put her into the reality show.
“Apparently she came to market something to me, in some event, I mean, I attend so many events in Lagos. I’m not supposed to remember everybody. Apparently, this happened at Terrakulture, nothing about this came to my mind until I heard what she said during the show. To the best of my knowledge, the first time I met Cee-c was when I spoke to her on stage during the show.
“The reason I didn’t debunk it was because I wanted it to die naturally. It was a very stupid rumour and I didn’t want to give life. I think she has a crush on me. But I don’t know what else she has on her head. I’ve never spoken to her except while in the house when I was doing my job.”
Final thoughts…
Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has become Nigeria’s foremost TV personality and presenter over the last 14 years. He has come far from the young law graduate that was evicted early from the Big Brother Nigeria show. Now, he is a popular celebrity that exudes elegance and class.
His impressive portfolio of gigs and projects also tell a story of hard work, consistency and determination. Ebuka is also a loving family man who is raising two daughters with his wife of half-a-decade. It is a joy to behold him on the TV and we can’t wait for all the time he has left to entertain us.
Interesting and awesome…