• Jay Jay Okocha is considered by many as the kind of player that shows up once in several decades.
• His impact in the game of soccer is not easy to erase.
• More and more people, especially from younger generations, will identify with his exploits after seeing the creative work put together in honor of this icon.

Former Nigerian super-star footballer, Augustine Jay Jay Okocha, after more than a decade of hanging his playing boots, will be back on screen, this time he will neither be playing soccer nor playing the role of a pundit for media houses during key matches; he will have his story retold in an animated series titled ‘Jay Jay: The Chosen One.’ Fans of the international sports star will be treated to 13 episodes of Okocha’s passion for football and his love for the animal kingdom which bestows superpowers on him in return for his fight against illegal poaching; all simulated in this enthralling animated series.

Reports say that the show is essentially a reimagining of his childhood days. This Showmax’s first attempt at creating an original animated series will spotlight an 11-year-old Okocha and his dreams of playing for his school at a significant football contest with a team composed of his rag-tag friends. The series parades a robust Nigerian cast, led by Prince Unigwe who plays Jay Jay, along-side veteran actor Chinedu Ikedieze of the hilarious ‘Aki and PawPaw’ fame, Samuel Ajibola, Eric Obinna, Pamilerin Ayodeji, and others.

The icon did not hide his excitement; he says he feels quite celebrated and even animated about the idea to create an animation that recreates his childhood. About the work, Okocha said, “I’m honored to have an animated series that reimagines my childhood. Jay Jay: The Chosen One is going to bring back good childhood memories as well as inspire young children who have dreams to be football players.”

Jay Jay featured quite prominently in three World Cups for the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, between 1993 and 2006, and led the same national team to Olympic victory at the games in Atlanta, in 1996. Jay Jay: The Chosen One stands out as an apt acknowledgement of Okocha’s input to football, in Nigeria and globally. It represents his lasting legacy in the global soccer scene. The talented playmaker was a member of the Super Eagles squad that lifted the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Tunisia, in 1994; he has about 73 caps to his name.

At club level, Jay Jay had successful sessions in Turkey, for Fenerbahce. He also frequently featured flagrantly in France’s PSG fixtures, and for English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers. Okocha also played prominently in Germany and Qatar, then, finally retired in the United Kingdom in 2008 after his stint with Hull City. He is regarded as one of the most skillful offensive midfielders the game of football has ever seen; an all-time great, and he is also considered by a lot of people as the greatest footballer to ever emerge from Nigeria.

For Showmax, the series, which will be produced by Nihilent Limited alongside 5th Dimension as well as animation studio I-Realities, is the first shot at creating an animated work. They said, through a spokesperson, that the show would “give Nigerian children of all ages the opportunity to see themselves represented in animated form which is positive, humorous and educational” and “enchant and motivate kids across our continent through fantasy adventures as well as the power of sport.”

Ms. Yolisa Phahle, CEO of Showmax and Connected Video at MultiChoice says, “Not only is Jay Jay: The Chosen One another locally inspired Showmax Original, it marks the beginning of our adventures in animation. This is a show we believe will find audiences globally and shines the spotlight on yet another world-class African achiever that we hope will be enjoyed by kids and the entire family.”

Nihilent Limited’s director and Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. LC Singh, said, “I always knew that creating a sports-based animation series for kids would be challenging and rewarding at the same time. The amount of work that goes into every single frame is immense, but seeing the final product come to life makes it all worth it.”

The launch of the series has left many fans of the icon as elated as he is.  Watch the trailer of the creative work here https://youtu.be/Bk840Nt-0ls .