AFCON 2025
Former Super Eagles midfielder Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has revealed that his famous nickname originally belonged to his older brother.
Okocha explained that the name emerged during his childhood because several members of his family and people in his neighbourhood were called Austin, making it difficult to identify them.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, the Super Eagles legend said his footballing family eventually began referring to him as “Austin Jay Jay’s brother”, a name that later stuck with him.
“I think it started in the neighbourhood where we grew up. All of us were footballers because we had no other toy,” Okocha said.
“My two brothers played as well, so we had a few Austins then. To identify which Austin is which, they started calling Austin Jay Jay’s brother and from there Austin Jay Jay stuck.”
The former Paris Saint-Germain and Bolton Wanderers star added that he eventually adopted the nickname officially because Europeans found it difficult to pronounce his birth name, Augustine.
“When I travelled, some people were struggling to pronounce my name Augustine and Jay Jay was a lot easier. I said I might as well adopt the name and I put it in my passport and it’s officially mine,” he explained.
Okocha jokingly added that despite making the nickname his own, he still pays “royalties” to his brothers for taking the name.
“I’m still paying royalties for my name to my brothers,” he said.
The nickname has since become synonymous with Okocha, who is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers and one of the most entertaining midfielders of his generation.
