US-based Nigerian artiste, Edet Otudor Ene otherwise known as O2udor, who was born to a Nigerian mother and Cameroon father talks about his love for both national teams and more in this interview with ABIODUN ADEWALE
What was growing up like and how involved were you in sporting activities as a kid?
Growing up was fun, and because of my parental background, I lived in both Nigeria and Cameroon before moving to the US. I speak French and English fluently as well as my mother’s native language.
Yes, I participated in sporting activities, I played football in primary school and with the kids in my neighbourhood as well.
Did you ever nurse an ambition in sports?
I never really nursed the ambition to pursue a career in sports, my closest uncle, Edet Otobong Otudor whom I looked up to a lot as a kid played football at a professional level for some clubs in Cameroon and other international football clubs, so in my head I always said I will be famous like him one day though I didn’t know exactly what career to pursue.
So at what point did you decide it was music you were going to pursue?
That was in the year 2017, after spending a lot of time around musicians and the music scene in the university and traveling to the US, I finally made up my mind that music is something I would love to pursue professionally. Since then, it’s been a very rough and smooth journey and I’ve released an album titled Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed in 2021 as well as another EP and many other singles.
Living in the US, I’ve also graced the biggest stages in Washington D.C. & Maryland such as The Anthem, The Fillmore, the Howard Theatre etc as an opening act for some of the biggest names in international music like Maître Gims, Davido, Burna Boy and Fally Ipupa.
Cameroon beat Nigeria on penalties in the 2000 AFCON final in Lagos, how did that make you feel as someone who has a tie with both countries?
I remember very vividly watching this game at our family house in Bamenda, Cameroon. The tension was so high, you could literally feel the ground shake at some moments and at other moments places were so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. I’m not going to lie, I had mixed emotions during this game because both teams had some of my favourite players, Jay-Jay Okocha, Taribo West, Kanu etc on one side and Samuel Eto, and Patrick Mboma on the other side. I’ve got so many memories of that game, and cannot share all but memories like the second goal for Cameroon by Patrick Mboma with a huge blunder from Ike Shorunmu and the glorious second goal for Nigeria by Okocha, a powerful strike from outside the 18-yard box. It was a terrific game and I’m glad I watched it till the end. The fact is one team must win so I was happy for Cameroon at the end of it all.
One thing I learned from my late grandfather who was a huge football fan is to always support good football irrespective of the team. Usually, I try not to discriminate, whoever plays the best game and wins, I celebrate them. These are both my nations.I remember both countries met again in 2004 at the Nations Cup in Tunisia and it was Nigeria that won that game (2-1).
Who are the sports stars that you connect with their story if you compare it to your career?
Maybe because I like him but I know the story of Cristiano Ronaldo who happens to be my all-time favourite footballer. I know he came from nothing, he was hungry with a burning desire to survive and today he is one of the greatest players in the world to ever play the game. Another sports star whose story I can connect with is NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as well as his brothers. In fact, their Nigerian roots make me feel more connected to them and I always feel like if they could come from nothing to something in a foreign land, I can do the same and thankfully, I can say I’m one of the fastest rising Nigerian/Cameroonian singers in the US.
Have you ever been to a stadium for a live game?
Yes, I went to watch my uncle play several when his team had a game against the local football club in the region I grew up in. At the time he played for a Cameroonian football club called: Tonnerre and they played against a club called PWD of Bamenda. The score line was Tonnerre 2 -1 in favour of PWD of Bamenda.
However, my most intriguing experience in a stadium was when I went to watch American football in Kansas City, USA. The Kansas City Chiefs had a game and it was a mind-blowing experience.
So which is your favourite sports team?
I’ve always been a fan of Real Madrid mainly because some of my favourite football players, like, Roberto Carlos, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Luis Figo and even Ronaldo De Lima played for them. My love for Real Madrid became more at the time that Cristiano Ronaldo played for them but ever since he left I haven’t really followed their games. However, I still use Real Madrid when playing FIFA on the PS5.
What are your fondest memories as a Madrid fan?
I’ll be particular about the Christiano Ronaldo era when the club won the Champions League three times in a row in 2016, 2017 and 2018. It was such a delight to see Zinedine Zidane, a club legend lead the team to such a feat. I admired him as a player and he also won my heart as a coach. We lost a number of La Liga titles, and we won a few as well but nothing compares to winning the Champions League and that’s why we are the most successful team in that competition.
So what has been the driving force for your career in the US?
The driving force in my career has always been to make it to a point where I can be the voice of the voiceless. Growing up in a small neighbourhood where very few people ever made it out, my ambition has always been to make it out so I can give back to those in need because I lived it and know exactly how it feels. I discovered early on that God has given me several abilities. Unlike an average artist, I’ve been blessed with the ability to create several genres and this versatility has been a gift & a curse. People in the industry say, you have to choose & define your sound, some fans say we love it when you rap, some say we prefer it when you sing, some say it’s best when you sing in Broken-English etc. Trying to confine myself to a particular sound or genre has never worked in my favour which pushed me to my newly found inspiration to just make the music as freely as I can irrespective of the genre, resulting in as much genre-fusion as I can create.
Flowing from your current song, will you be working with a Nigerian act soon?
My current project, “Tonight”, is a song I wrote when I was in a dark place emotionally, it’s special because most of the lyrics explain exactly what I felt at that point in time and allowing myself to be vulnerable while putting down these emotions on a song, helped me heal in ways I can’t explain. Yes, my background has always been in my idea, I will be working with Nigerian and even Cameroonian artistes.
