IK Osakioduwa, a popular Nigerian media personality, has opened on changing his surname from Obiara to Osakioduwa, a personal decision, which according to him, transformed his life.
IK during a recent Interview disclosed that the need to change his name began during a visit to a military hospital in Ikeja with his father, a Nigerian Army officer.
“I thought to myself, I’m almost a full-on adult. And I’m still saying I’m so-and-so’s son? That moment made me realise I needed to wake up and start building my own identity,” IK explained.
The turning point came when he read the biblical story of Jacob’s name change and decided to research his own surname. To his surprise, he discovered that “Obiara” was associated with a deity—a revelation that conflicted with his Christian beliefs.
“I discovered my surname is embedded in some deity somewhere. I’m like, what does that mean? No, I’m a Christian. So I was like, okay, I want a different name.”
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The Nigerian broadcaster noted that the decision was not an overnight one, it took four years to convince his father, but with silent support from his mother and persistent prayers, he finally got his approval.
“I know Osa is God. Ioduwa means God opens the door to wealth. Now, that’s a name. That name literally changed my life. My door to wealth opened.”
The name Osakioduwa, which means “God opens the door to wealth”, has since become a symbol of his success.
