Chika Oduah is a Nigerian-American journalist, poet, and cultural entrepreneur renowned for her unique ethnographic and anthropological approach to storytelling. She focuses on human rights, culture, conflict, and development issues across Africa. She is the founder of Zikora Media & Arts, a company dedicated to media production and cultural promotion. Oduah currently reports for Voice of America and has contributed to VICE News.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Chikaodinaka Sandra Oduah |
| Date of Birth | March 14, 1986 |
| Place of Birth | Ogbaru, Anambra State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian-American |
| State of Origin | Anambra State, Nigeria |
| Spouse | Not publicly disclosed |
| Children | Not publicly disclosed |
| Occupations | Journalist, Poet, Cultural Entrepreneur, Documentary Filmmaker, TV News Producer, Writer, Photographer |
| Net Worth | $200,000 – $500,000 |
Early Life and Education
Born in Ogbaru, Anambra State, Nigeria, Chika is the eldest of seven siblings. She relocated to the Atlanta metropolitan area in the United States at the age of two.
She earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Telecommunications Broadcast Journalism and Anthropology from Georgia State University, where she also served as Vice President of the Society for Professional Journalists.
She further obtained a Master of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Career
Chika began her journalism career in 2010, taking on roles such as television news producer, correspondent, writer, and photographer.
She has worked with prominent media outlets including VICE News, Al Jazeera, CNN, the Associated Press, Sahara Reporters, and Voice of America.
She gained international recognition as the first journalist to extensively cover the aftermath of the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping of schoolgirls in Chibok.
Her work blends anthropology with journalism to highlight the lived experiences of Africans and the diaspora. She also leads Zikora Media & Arts, promoting African culture through various media and artistic projects.
Personal Life
Chika divides her time between Nigeria, Senegal, and the United States. She is deeply passionate about poetry, traditional African dance, and the performing arts, and is working on a poetry collection.
A committed Pan-Africanist, she advocates for African-led solutions to the continent’s challenges.
Chika Oduah Net Worth
Chika Oduah’s exact net worth is not publicly known, but based on her successful journalism career and media ventures, it is estimated to be between $200,000 and $500,000.
Awards and Honors
- Thomson Reuters Foundation’s Trust Women Journalist of the Year Award (2014) for her reporting on the Chibok schoolgirls.
- CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Award (2016) for excellence in technology and innovation reporting.
- Livingston Award for Young Journalists (2015) for her published work in The Atlantic.
- African Story Challenge Award (2015) from the African Media Initiative and International Center for Journalists.
- Percy Qoboza Award (2018) from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
- Listed among YNaija’s 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2016.
