Today we’d like to introduce you to Chidera Ugwokaegbe.
Hi Chidera, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I was born, my parents made sure to instill the Igbo culture into me and my younger sister. Igbo is a tribe in Nigeria, which is where my parents are from. My mom is a former Olympian and my dad is a former Catholic priest, and with such two different backgrounds, there was never a dull moment in our house. My parents made sure that Igbo was the first language that me and my sister understood and that’s all they spoke to us growing up. We grew up in a loving household, where we always celebrated our culture. As I got older, I started to record these precious moments on my phone, and one day in 2021, my friend told me to start posting about my family on TikTok. It wasn’t until I started posting on Tiktok that I started getting a lot of comments about how rare and joyous my family dynamic is and how in tune we are with our culture while living in the states. Ever since then, I have gained a community of over 100,000 amazing followers and have made it my mission to showcase the beauty of family and Igbo culture as a whole.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I feel like I can speak for a lot of people when I say that growing up as an African child in America was not always easy. There was a brief point in time when I was little when I just wanted to fit in with everyone else. I remember in second grade when I was introducing myself to my teacher and she asked me what name I wanted to go by, I gave her my middle name, “Precious,” because my Igbo name didn’t sound like everybody else’s name. My mom quickly told my teacher, “No, her name is Chidera. Call her Chidera.” I’m so glad my mom did that because my name alone is a beautiful piece of my culture that will remain with me for life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m currently a nursing student, but when I’m not occupied with schoolwork, I enjoy content creation. I make videos about Igbo culture, such as the different dances we have, the music, language, food, family, and my own personal thoughts and experiences. I am most proud of the fact that even though I was born and raised in America, Igbo culture is still a big part of who I am and shows up in a lot of different aspects of my life. People have messaged me telling me that my content inspires them and that I make them love their culture even more, and it’s so touching knowing that I am able to help people see and appreciate the beauty of Africa. I would say that what sets me apart from others is that I am unapologetically me. I have always been that way. No matter what people may think or what people may say, I know who I am and I don’t change for anybody.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Feel free to keep up with me on tiktok! @chideraprecious0
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chideraisme/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chideraprecious0
