Ayotunde Ogala

"Home of Nigerian Footballers"

Despite being able to amass a loyal follower base of about 100,000 people within the span of a year, Ayo T still defines himself as a down to earth, problem solving guy. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria and studied Computer Science at Canada's Capital's, Carleton University.

As his graduation grew closer, he decided that he would pursue a career that gave him joy, made him feel good and brought in money. Ayo T's love for sports, especially football(soccer) and basketball can rival anyone's against his.

Born to traditionally thinking Nigerian parents, he was under the impression that they would not approve of this career choice in Brand/Business Marketing.

VIBE Founder and CEO, Chukwuka Nwokobia, sat down with this game-changer, to get an insight on the mechanism that drives the powerhouse, Eagles Tracker. Below, are the answers to the questions that were asked:

What was the inspiration behind Eagles Tracker?

As graduation was fast approaching, I was constantly thinking of how I could apply myself and do something I love. This is because if you do something you love, you will never get to work a day in your life. One day, I was in my room at the campus residence, looking at the ceiling and bang! it hit me. Besides massive events and competitions, there was no way to keep up with Nigerian players and their lifestyle. There was no way to keep them relevant and there was a need for someone to educate these players on the essence of proper self-branding. 90% of players go broke after their career is done. So, I started Eagles Tracker. A platform and company whose goals would be to educate players on self-branding, relevance, surround and connect them to intelligent people that will propel their careers in the right path.

Has your family always been in support of this career path?

To my surprise, they were very supportive. They were actually so supportive that I thought God swapped my parents for new people. I was actually hiding it from my dad but he found the page on his own and was telling me about it. That was when I told him that it was actually my page. He was really proud of me.

What were some of the early challenges you faced and what advice would you give to someone going through the same challenges?

A big challenge I encountered early was coming up with ideas that my target audience would love and gravitate to. Another challenge was figuring how to grow my follower base.

Firstly, you cannot start this content creation journey and post less than five times a week. Secondly, at the early stages, do not worry about follower growth and focus on content creation. However, if you have the budget and cashflow to support massive marketing, go for it!

What is unique about your business and your business model?

We are the first people to give focus on Nigerian players. Additionally, we work with footballers to tell their stories and help them stay relevant for as long as possible.

What can we expect from you and Eagles Tracker in the near future?

We currently have a web series and podcast in the works. These would feature different Nigerian players from all over the world. Furthermore, we would be expanding our content as we are currently accepting applications for contributors and writers. Finally, we would be working with a host of new brand ambassadors and launch an new merchandise collection very soon.

Who is the biggest star you have worked with or had come on your platform?

I cannot actually pick one but the top three are Vincent Enyeama, Taye Taiwo and of course Joseph Yobo.

What can you describe as the highlight of your successful career so far?

It would be being able to establish a brand in this space, but as an unknown. A year ago, I was just a guy that loved football. Now, I have an established brand that is one of the respected brands Nigerian football has to offer.

Who are the one to watch Nigerian players right now and what is your honest opinion of the Nigerian coach, Gernot Rohr?

Well, one to watch female is Rasheedat Ajibade (Atlético de Madrid) for sure and for male, I would say Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto). If I was to describe Gernot Rohr in three words, I would say, progressive, friendly and out of time.

What are your thoughts of VIBE as a platform?

I am really proud of it and a fan. We need more investment in the black community to build black wealth and I honestly commend what you guys are trying to do.

Connect, support and follow Ayo T and Eagles Tracker: